Beijing regime like Nazi dictatorship, dissident warns hosts

Britain should have withdrawn its invitation to President Jiang as the mainland authorities had stepped up their oppression of human rights activists in recent months, dissident Wei Jingsheng said yesterday.

The dissident leader said the world would condemn Britain for affording the President the honour of an official visit at a time when many political activists were being jailed on the mainland.

'Human rights in China have been under particularly terrible conditions for some time, particularly over the past six months,' said Mr Wei. 'That is why it is so striking that Britain should give him such a warm welcome at this time.' Mr Wei said he knew of about 800 people who had been arrested on the mainland in recent months because of their political beliefs.

'I hope the people of Europe understand that there is a dictatorship in China that is not very different from the Nazi regime in the way that it has treated its people.' But Mr Wei said the Chinese authorities would not be able to continue oppressing people on the mainland and change was inevitable.

'In the future there is the possibility of a collapse of the Chinese Government,' he said.

'It is possible they could go peacefully and there will be reform, but true chaos could ensue if there is a breakdown of society and it could be quite violent.' Mr Wei said the people of Hong Kong should help to work for political freedom on the mainland to ensure their own futures.