40. Notes with concern the strict rules imposed by the Chinese authorities on media and electronic communication; calls on the Chinese Government to lift the restrictions that limit citizens' access to the Internet; 41. Calls on the Commission and the Council to ensure that, in all their dealings with the Chinese Government, it cooperates fully with the competent authorities within the EU and also within those countries, notably of the former Soviet Union, which serve as transit routes, in order to eliminate illegal migration of Chinese nationals towards the EU, not only to prevent all forms of human trafficking, exploitation and suffering, but also to eradicate criminal activity; 42. Calls upon China to seize the opportunity of the Olympic Games of 2008 to abide by international human rights standards and to intensify general cooperation; calls for a monitoring procedure to be put in place to ensure that China honours its international obligations in the field of human rights in the run-up to this event; draws attention to the importance of preserving Beijing's architectural heritage while large-scale infrastructure projects are carried out ahead of the Olympic Games; 43. Calls on the Chinese Government fully to recognise and respect fundamental social, cultural and political rights of religious, ethnic and other minorities as well as their cultural specificities, including the freedom of religious practice; 44. Reiterates its view that greater economic freedom cannot yield lasting benefits without the concomitant fundamental human liberties and rights as laid down in the various UN covenants and other relevant international agreements and conventions, including those covering the protection of the global environment, which China has now signed; 45. Urges China to respect its obligations as a signatory to the CITES convention and to pay more attention to cruel and inhumane treatment of animals; Tibet 46. Underlines the demand made in its abovementioned resolution of 15 December 1992 concerning the autonomy of Tibet and invites the Chinese Government to accept the fivepoint plan of the Dalai Lama as a basis for negotiations on Tibet; 47. As regards Tibet, is aware of a slight relaxation recently of religious restrictions on lowerlevel government employees, students and State company workers; however, notes that in both the regions of Xinjiang and Tibet, religious freedom continues to be severely restricted and people suspected of nationalist activities or sympathies are still subject to particularly harsh restrictions; is furthermore extremely preoccupied at the large number of nuns and monks who remain imprisoned and by the ongoing question of religious, political and cultural freedom; draws the attention of the Chinese Government to the importance of protecting the natural environment and the religious and cultural heritage of Tibet; appeals to the Chinese Government to respect and protect the religious and cultural identity of the people of Tibet; 48. Welcomes, in this regard, the consistent stand of His Holiness the Dalai Lama as regards realising genuine self-government for Tibet within the People's Republic of China through peaceful negotiations, shares his grave concern at the systematic destruction of