Sir, – I noticed your news report on the death of Mr Liu Xiaobo ("Jailed Chinese Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo dies", July 13th). On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Ireland, I would like to clarify some basic facts.
First, Liu Xiaobo, convicted of subversion of state power in 2009, died of multiple organ failure due to liver cancer on Thursday, July 13th, after medical treatment failed, at the age of 61. During his last hours, Mr Liu was accompanied by his wife and several relatives. They were very grateful for the hard work of all the doctors and nurses. Mr Liu’s doctor said Liu Xiaobo’s type of liver cancer was very hard to be diagnosed at the early stage, and that it developed very quickly at the late stage so that his health condition did not allow him being transferred overseas for treatment.
Second, Mr Liu has received good treatment after the confirmed diagnosis of liver cancer. The Chinese government gives him medical parole and the hospital has made every effort in his treatment, including the care from a group of famous Chinese oncologists and the joint consultations with experts from Germany and the United States. Those foreign experts spoke highly of the hospital’s work, believing the patient had received quality treatment. They held that hospitals in their own countries could not have done a better job.
Third, China is a law-based country and the judicial sovereignty should be respected. Mr Liu was sentenced to 11 years in jail for subversion of state power according to the Article 105 of China’s criminal law. Mr Liu’s case is China’s internal affairs.
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Any irresponsible remarks or speculations on this case are not constructive and totally unacceptable. – Yours, etc,
PAN XIONGWEN,
Spokesperson,
Chinese Embassy in Ireland,
Merrion Road, Dublin 4.