Regarding the human rights situations in China, the report stated that the UK Government has “ongoing concerns” about “the scope of the death penalty and lack of transparency in its use; torture; the lack of an independent judiciary; obstacles to fair trials; arbitrary detention, including reeducation through labour (RTL); unsatisfactory prison conditions and ill treatment of prisoners; failure to protect human rights defenders; harassment of religious practitioners; restrictive regimes in Xinjiang and Tibet; and limitations on freedom of expression and association.”

“The UK Government is concerned about the practice of organ harvesting from prisoners subject to the death penalty in China and reports of illegal trafficking of organs. We understand that some 600,000 people in China each year require organ transplants and that there is a great shortage of organs due to social taboos about transplants. We also understand that the Chinese Government has acknowledged the practice of organ harvesting from these prisoners and the trade in their organs.”

"Thank you for your letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, dated May 2nd...As you might know, human rights issues in China are frequently brought up in discussions with our Chinese counterparts, during our many contacts, both from Sweden and from the EU. For example, every sixth months we have within the EU a special human rights dialogue with China, where we go through an extensive agenda and bring up all the areas where we feel a strong concern regarding how human rights issues are handled in China."

"The EU-China human rights dialogue, established in 1996, is the agreed formal framework through which the EU raises its concerns about individual human rights cases, including those of Falun Gong practitioners and more general issues, such as the protection of freedom of religion and expression, which have a particular impact on practitioners of Falun Gong. The 19th round of the EU-China human rights dialogue took place in Luxembourg on 24th and 25th February 2005. At that meeting, the EU raised strong concerns about the persecution of persons on the grounds of their peaceful expression of belief, in particular members of Falun Gong. The EU also raised the cases of a number of Falun Gong practitioners with the Chinese representatives."

The UK Government published its 2004 Human Rights Report on the 10th of November. The Report stated, “The UK Government continues to have serious concerns about basic human rights in China…Our on-going concerns include: the extensive use of the death penalty; the use of torture; the continuing harassment of political dissidents, religious practitioners and adherents of the Falun Gong spiritual movement; the situation in Tibet and Xinjiang; and severe restrictions on basic freedoms of speech, association and religion.”

On September the 15th, the U.S. Department of State issued its sixth annual Report on International Religious Freedom. Country by country, this report documents the conditions of religious freedom around the world. Because of its persecution of Falun Gong and other religious groups, China has once again been identified as one of the Countries of Particular Concern by the U.S. Department of States. This label refers to governments that engage in or tolerate gross infringements of religious freedom.

On the 1st of September, 2003, UK MP Mr. Gregory Barker raised a question in the House of Commons to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been made to assess the Chinese Government's use of Article 23 against the practise of Falun Gong in Hong Kong.

“China stated at the UN Commission on Human Rights in April 2003 that international concern over human rights in China was “unimportant, meaningless and irrelevant”. This has led to concerns among both other governments and in the NGO community as to the value China places on human rights dialogue.”

"We witnessed on 1 July the largest demonstration in Hong Kong since the handover with the estimated participation of up to 500,000 people from all sectors of society. It is a tribute to the people of Hong Kong that so large a demonstration could take place in such a peaceful manner. The march clearly showed the desire of Hong Kong people to retain the rights and freedoms they have long enjoyed."

“We have received your letter of support concerning Falun Gong, and have learned that there are more than one hundred million people practising Falun Gong around the world...."

"The Austrian Foreign Ministry is very clear about the seriousness of the situation of Falun Gong practitioners in China, and we share your concern on this matter."

"Please rest assured that the Dutch government will continue to try and contribute to the improvement of the human rights situation in China, including the treatment of Falun Gong practitioners, and will raise this issue wherever appropriate"

We have been deeply concerned at the treatment of Falun Gong leaders and adherents since the exercise-based Qigong group was banned in July 1999. Believing the movement to be a threat to state security, the Chinese authorities have engaged in a repressive programme of "re-educating" ordinary adherents and handing down excessive sentences against the Movement's leaders. There have been numerous reports of harsh treatment in custody or during interrogation.

Minister of State John Battle expressed concern at the treatment of Falun Gong adherents with the Chinese Ambassador in London and in contacts with Chinese Ministers.

The UK Foreign Office Minister, Mr Denis MacShane, wrote to the Falun Gong Association (UK) on 13 September expressing the deep concern of the UK government at the treatment of Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese regime. He described the actions of the UK government during the past two years, including the strong public criticism made by Foreign Office Minister John Battle at a UN meeting in March this year, of the Chinese regime's persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. He said, "The Chinese authorities can be in no doubt about the strength of our feelings on this important issue." The full text of the letter is as follows: