• English Site
• > World
• > Human Rights in China

Beijing Blues

China Lashes Out at US Human Rights Criticism

China has lashed out at US criticism of its humans right record -- despite the fact that the State Department dropped it from its list of worse offenders. Human rights and other issues such as Tibet are threatening to tarnish China's image ahead of the Beijing Olympics.

China may be hoping to present itself in a postive light when it hosts the Olympic Games in August, but it is increasingly having to defend itself against international criticism of its human rights record, pollution and presence in Tibet.

On Wednesday, Beijing lashed out at US criticism of its human rights record -- despite the fact that an annual US State Department report published Tuesday had actually removed China from its blacklist of worst human rights abusers.

China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi described the 2007 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices as having a "Cold War mentality," and said that China was ready to have a dialogue on human rights with the US based on "equality and mutual respect." He also lashed out at groups who sought to "politicize" the forthcoming Beijing Olympics, which kick off on Aug. 8.

"We welcome suggestions and criticisms offered out of goodwill," Yang said, but added that those "who want to tarnish the image of China ... will never get their way."

The US report criticized Beijing for the restriction of freedom of speech, censorship of the Internet, treatment of prisoners and forced relocations of people to make way for projects related to the Olympic Games.

The State Department, however, noted that in 2007 China had "pursued some important criminal and judicial reforms," including the reintroduction of high court reviews of death sentences.

While the normally tight restrictions on foreign journalists are to be relaxed in the run-up to the games, the report noted that there is still interference, with Chinese journalists facing increased control and censorship. "The government continued to monitor, harass, detain, arrest and imprison journalists, Internet writers and bloggers," the report said.

Nevertheless, human rights groups were dismayed at Washington's apparent downgrading of China's sins. The authoritarian regime was dropped from the list of the top 10 worst offenders, which in 2007 comprised North Korea, Burma, Iran, Syria, Zimbabwe, Cuba, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Eritrea and Sudan.

The press freedom non-governmental organization Reporters Without Borders called the US decision a "major setback for human rights organizations" trying to press Beijing to make changes to accompany the Olympics. "The situation in China is not, of course, comparable to the one in North Korea or in Eritrea, but Washington's decision occurs at the worst possible time, just when the situation is worsening prior to the opening of the Olympic Games."

China may be hoping to present itself in a positive light and brandish its growing prosperity and pride with the forthcoming games, but the massive event has also provided a focus for issues less appealing to Beijing, such as human rights, pollution, Tibet and China's support for Sudan.

In February, Hollywood director Steven Spielberg quit as artistic director to the Games due to China's failure to use its influence on Sudan to end the bloodshed in Darfur. On Monday, renowned Ethiopian marathon runner Haile Gebrselassie said he would not compete in the Beijing marathon because he feared the city's pollution would damage his health.

The issue of China's occupation of Tibet has also become a flashpoint ahead of the Olympics. This week saw protest marches by Tibetan refuges in India to commemorate the 49th anniversary of an uprising against Chinese rule in the mountainous region. And on Wednesday thousands of Chinese security personnel were reported to have fired tear gas to try to disperse more than 600 Tibetan monks taking part in the second day of street protests in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa.

A source told Reuters that police armed with electric prods and firearms had confronted the monks who were chanting "Release our people" and "We want human rights and freedom." On Monday, 300 monks had defied the authorities by staging a march.

This week the Chinese authorities also banned expeditions on Mount Everest until after the Olympic torch ascends its peak on May 10, a move that reflects government concerns that Tibet activists could disrupt the event.

smd/ap/reuters/afp