Mary Kay Inc. Discontinues Use of Pledge in China that Cites Falun Gong as ‘Illegal’

WASHINGTON (FDI) – Mary Kay Inc. has discontinued the use of a pledge that workers in China were required to sign, which categorized Falun Gong as “illegal” – a label former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin has used for the last four years in efforts to legitimize the persecution of those who practice the traditional, Chinese discipline.

Mary Kay announced the change in a letter to three Congressional Members of the House International Relations Committee: Vice-Chairman Chris Smith (R-NJ), Ranking Democratic Member Tom Lantos (D-CA) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Middle East and Central Asia Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL). (full text) 

According to the letter, a new pledge has been adopted by the cosmetics giant for its China operations that does not single out any particular “organization, religion, practice or movement.”

Mary Kay’s letter came three days after Congresspersons Smith, Lantos and Ros-Lehtinen co-authored a letter of their own to Mary Kay Inc.’s Chairman and CEO, Richard Rogers, admonishing the company for it use of the pledge, saying that in doing so Mary Kay is playing an “active role” in assisting Chinese authorities in persecuting Falun Gong practitioners in China. (full text)

“We are glad Mary Kay has revised its pledge,” says Falun Dafa Information Center spokeswoman, Ms. Gail Rachlin. “However, this issue is not just about Mary Kay…the Chinese regime is pressuring many American and other foreign companies doing business in China to adhere to persecutory policies that violate China’s own Constitution, U.S. Law and International Law.”

Ms. Rachlin adds, “Many have said that having foreign companies doing business in China will bring more openness and transparency to China, so it is very disturbing to see a number of cases illustrating the exact opposite…that is, the Chinese regime enforcing illegal, persecutory policies upon foreign companies.”