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China Rejects US Human Rights Criticism
by Daniel Schearf via rialator - Voice of America Thursday, Mar 8 2007, 6:48am
international / human rights / other press

8 March, 2007-- Beijing

China has rejected U.S. criticism of its human rights record, accusing Washington of hypocrisy for not addressing its own abuses. In a tit-for-tat response to the U.S. State Department's annual human rights report, China issued its own report accusing Washington of systematic abuses both abroad - in Iraq and Afghanistan - and at home. Daniel Schearf reports from Beijing.

The Chinese report, entitled the "Human Rights Record of the United States in 2006," accuses the U.S. of condemning other countries' human rights abuses while ignoring its own.

According to the official Xinhua News Agency, the Chinese report says Washington uses its strong military power to "trespass on the sovereignty of other countries."

It cites the large number of Iraqi deaths since the U.S. invasion in 2003, and says the U.S. has run up a "flagrant record" of violating the Geneva Convention by systematically abusing prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The report goes on to criticize human rights in the U.S. itself, saying people's lives, property, and personal security are not secure. It cites western media and U.S. government reports on crime, racism, poverty, and low salaries for women as evidence.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters Thursday that the objective was to highlight what he called "double standards" on Washington's part.

"This report is like a mirror given to the United States so the U.S. will reflect on itself and take a look at its own human rights situation, and see what kind of qualifications it has for making unwarranted remarks against others, using human rights as an excuse to interfere in other countries' internal affairs, and using double standards," he said.

This was the eighth time Beijing has responded to the U.S. State Department's annual country-by-country report on human rights.

The U.S. report issued Tuesday says China's already poor human rights record worsened in 2006, with harassment and arrests of journalists, activists, and defense lawyers.

It says China has tightened restrictions on freedom of speech, the press and the Internet, and has placed private organizations under increased scrutiny.

The U.S. report says some of the more serious abuses in China include extrajudicial killings, torture, coerced confessions and forced labor.

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exchange from the moral low ground
by aural Thursday, Mar 8 2007, 6:58am

two superpowers meet at the cross-roads of hypocrisy.

America has no claim on morality in the 21st century; China never pretended otherwise.

China at least wins the integrity stakes -- America has no credibility whatsoever.

China hits back on human rights
by Shanghai Daily via rialator Thursday, Mar 8 2007, 6:35pm

9 March, 2007 -- THE United States should look in the mirror and reflect on its human rights record from last year, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman said yesterday in Beijing.

Qin Gang said the US government had no right to depict itself as a human rights watchdog and interfere in the internal affairs of other countries on the pretext of human rights.

He said the US State Department produced a human rights report on China, but would be better advised to read "Four Books and Five Classics," which refer to the nine classics of Confucianism.

"Confucius' book not only teaches people how to conduct themselves, but also how to manage state affairs properly," Qin said.

The books outlined the principles of self-improvement, household management, government administration, and maintaining peace and order.

"Therefore, we suggest that US officials read the books to gain a better understanding of Confucius," Qin said.

The Information Office of the State Council of China yesterday published The Human Rights Record of the United States in 2006 in response to the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2006, released by the US Department of State on Tuesday. The US report criticizes China's human rights conditions.

The Chinese report lists numerous cases to show the US violates human rights domestically and in other countries.

The document said the US condemns other countries over human rights while ignoring its own problems.

The document said it aims to "help people around the world gain a better understanding of the situation in the US and promote the international cause of human rights."

The document reviewed seven aspects of human rights in the US last year.

© 2001-2007 Shanghai Daily Publishing House


 
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