BEIJING – China and the U.S. opened what is likely to be a bruising meeting on human rights Wednesday amid a Chinese crackdown on dissent that has left dispirited activists questioning the value of such diplomatic exchanges.
The two-day U.S.-China Human Rights Dialogue will focus on the ongoing campaign against dissent, as well as the rule of law, freedom of religion and expression, and labor and minority rights, the State Department said.
Dozens of well-known lawyers and activists across China have vanished, been interrogated or detained for alleged subversion in recent weeks as China's government, apparently unnerved by events in the Middle East and North Africa, has moved to squelch dissent.
No Middle East-inspired protests are known to have occurred in China, despite anonymous appeals circulating on the Internet for gatherings each Sunday.
Human rights is one of the most consistently contentious aspects of U.S.-China relations, along with trade imbalances and Washington's support for Taiwan.
China's leaders deeply resent what they consider Washington's condescending and hypocritical attitude, and routinely lash back at American accusations, even publishing an annual review of U.S. human rights that includes accusations of deep-seated racism and the killing of civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Rights advocates say Beijing's attitude has hardened in recent years, bolstered by its powerhouse economy and growing global influence. They say China no longer responds to requests for information about specific cases and appears to be using such forums as a way to marginalize the rights issue and isolate it from overall relations.
"It has gotten to the point where you have to ask the question: By having these affairs do we in effect provide cover?" said John Kamm, a human rights campaigner who is frequently consulted by the U.S. and other governments.
Beijing denies being a serial rights abuser, pointing to constitutional protections for freedom of speech and religion. Its definition of human rights focuses on economic development and improvements in quality of life.
China hopes the meeting will help deepen mutual understanding but doesn't want human rights used as a pretext for meddling in its own affairs, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters Tuesday.
"We oppose any country that uses human rights to interfere in China's internal affairs," Hong said.
View the Original article
0 nhận xét:
Post a Comment