- Title: China warns not to use Nobel laureate's widow to interfere in domestic affairs
- Date: 28th July 2017
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (JULY 28, 2017) (REUTERS) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN LU KANG WALKING IN FOR REGULAR BRIEFING REPORTER LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, LU KANG, SAYING: "We have answered this question many times here. First of all, this is not a diplomatic question, and second of all, Liu Xia is a Chinese citizen in principle, and the relevant Chinese government departments will safeguard any of her rights in accordance with the law. Meanwhile, I must emphasise here that we resolutely oppose any country attempting to use any means to interfere with China's domestic affairs." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS EXTERIOR OF CHINA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY CHINESE FLAG FLYING
- Embargoed: 11th August 2017 10:48
- Keywords: China nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo Liu Xia Foreign Ministry briefing news conference
- Location: BEIJING, SHENYANG, CHINA / AT SEA
- City: BEIJING, SHENYANG, CHINA / AT SEA
- Country: China
- Topics: Environment
- Reuters ID: LVA0016RMSH8N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: China on Friday (July 28) warned foreign countries not to use the widow of Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo as an excuse to interfere in its domestic matters, after Germany expressed its concerns over China's apparent unwillingness to discuss removing restrictions against her, two weeks after her husband died of cancer in custody.
Liu Xia has been under effective house arrest since her husband won his Nobel in 2010. She was allowed to visit him in prison about once a month and remain with him while he was treated for cancer in his final days.
Liu Xiaobo, a veteran of the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests, was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2009 for "inciting subversion of state power" after he helped write a petition known as "Charter 08" calling for sweeping political reforms.
Liu Xia's whereabouts are unknown. Liu Xiaobo's brother said at a government arranged news conference after his death that Liu Xia was in a poor state of health and not able to appear before the press. An embassy source told Reuters it seemed she is not allowed to speak to anyone by telephone or meet with anyone apart from close family members. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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