China hits back at Bush on human rights

[LRE]

China hits back at Bush on human rights

* Beijing opposes interference in its internal affairs
* Bush voices ‘firm opposition’ to China’s detention of dissidents, human rights advocates

BEIJING: China hit back on Thursday at criticism by US President George W Bush on religion and human rights, saying it opposed any interference in its internal affairs.

“We firmly oppose any words and deeds that use human rights and religion to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs,” foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in a statement on the ministry’s website.

The statement was in response to a speech by Bush earlier in the day in Bangkok in which he repeatedly highlighted Washington’s “deep concerns over religious freedom and human rights” in China.

“The Chinese people enjoy religious freedom according to law. That’s a basic fact evident to all,” Qin said.

“With regards to differences between China and the United States on rights and religious issues, we have always advocated that the two sides should carry out dialogue and exchanges on the basis of equality and mutual respect.”

To a larger extent than the average Chinese foreign ministry statement of this kind, it emphasised the common interests shared by the two nations.

“A good Sino-US relationship is in accordance with the basic interests of our two nations and peoples, and contributes to peace, stability and development in the region and even the world,” Qin said.

Bush scolds China: Just hours before flying to Beijing for the Olympics on Thursday, US President George W. Bush used some of his bluntest language yet in publicly pressing China to improve its human rights record.

In a speech in Bangkok on the eve of the Games’ opening ceremony, when the eyes of the world will be on Beijing, Bush voiced “firm opposition” to China’s detention of dissidents, human rights advocates and religious activists.

“The United States believes the people of China deserve the fundamental liberty that is the natural right of all human beings,” he said in comments likely to anger China’s communist leadership.

“We speak out for a free press, freedom of assembly, and labour rights not to antagonise China’s leaders, but because trusting its people with greater freedom is the only way for China to develop its full potential,” he said.

In a wide-ranging speech billed as an Asia policy statement, Bush touched on everything from North Korea’s nuclear programme, to regional security and trans-Pacific trade.

While acknowledging China’s growing economic clout, he also said Beijing should wake up to the wider responsibilities that that entails.

“We are making clear to China that being a global economic leader carries with it the duty to act responsibly on matters from energy to the environment to development in places like Africa,” he said. agencies


http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...2008_pg4_6