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Bush takes PRC to task over rights

Thai Muslim protesters hold placards at an anti-war demonstration outside the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, as US President George W. Bush delivers his speech inside the venue in Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday. PHOTO: EPA

Just hours before flying to Beijing for the Olympics yesterday, 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 labor rights not to antagonize China’s leaders, but because trusting its people with greater freedom is the only way for China to develop its full potential,” he said.

Beijing is accused of cracking down on dissent ahead of the Games instead of granting more freedoms, as originally promised.

Bush had faced criticism from rights groups not only for attending the Games but also for not speaking out more forcefully against Beijing’s crackdown in the run-up to the showpiece event.

He has chided China on human rights before, focusing especially on restrictions on religious freedom, and drew the Chinese government’s ire by meeting dissidents at the White House ahead of his week-long farewell trip to East Asia.

Bush made it clear in Seoul on Wednesday that he had no intention of using the Olympics as a platform for lecturing China on human rights, though he intends to discuss such matters privately with Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤).

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

In response, Beijing said 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 (秦剛) said.

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

“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,” Qin said.

Also See: Bush claims credit for ‘peace’ in Taiwan Strait
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