Suu Kyi urges China’s leaders to allow dissent

BURMA pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi urged China’s Communist leaders yesterday to be more open and tolerant amidst a heavy clampdown on dissidents and government critics in recent months.

“My message to China’s leaders will be very simple,” said Suu Kyi who was released after years of house arrest last November by the country’s military junta.

“China is a great country, the Chinese people are a great people with a marvellous and long history behind them. They can afford to take more steps, they can afford to be daring, they can afford to allow room for all kinds of opinions,” said Suu Kyi during a video conference with an international audience at the University of Hong Kong.