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China Counters US Report on its Human Rights Record

   VOA News 12 March 2010
   Delegates leave the Great Hall of the People after attending a session
   of  the  annual  National  People's Congress in Beijing, China, 11 Mar
   2010

Photo: AP

   Delegates leave the Great Hall of the People after attending a session
   of  the  annual  National  People's Congress in Beijing, China, 11 Mar
   2010

   China has offered its own critique of the United States in response to
   Washington's annual review of Beijing's human rights record.
   China's  State  Council  issued  a  report Friday blaming the subprime
   mortgage  crisis  in  the  U.S.  for  triggering  the  global economic
   recession.
   The report also accused the United States of restricting the rights of
   its citizens in a number of areas, including racial equality, personal
   security, and political and economic advancement.
   The  U.S.  State  Department  accused  China  of numerous human rights
   violations  in its annual global report, which it issued Thursday.  It
   said  Beijing  harassed  and detained more human rights activists last
   year,  and  accused  the  communist  government of severe cultural and
   religious repression in Tibet and Xinjiang province.
   But China says the U.S. uses the issue of human rights as a "political
   instrument to interfere in other countries' internal affairs."
   The Chinese counter-report says it is a "pity" how Washington "revels"
   in  pointing  a  finger  at other nations' human rights records, while
   ignoring its own failings.
   Tensions between Beijing and the U.S. have grown in recent months over
   several  trade  disputes,  a major weapons sale to Taiwan, and China's
   alleged interference with U.S.-based Internet giant Google.

   Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

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