The US Congress on Thursday launched a renewed attack on China's human rights record and called on the US government to put greater pressure on Beijing to improve conditions.
The annual report by the Congressional Executive Commission on China also condemned China's "tepid" response to a looming AIDS crisis in the country and said it should be taken up at the highest level.
"The commission finds that human rights conditions in China have not improved overall in the past year. The Chinese government continues to violate China's own Constitution and laws and international norms and standards protecting human rights," said the report.
The commission -- a joint Senate-House of Representatives panel that also includes top State Department officials -- said "some developments are under way in China, particularly in the area of legal reform, that could provide the foundation for stronger protection of rights in the future."
But it added that the changes have been "incremental" and limited.
The report reaffirmed past criticism of people detained "for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression."
It said China was not keeping to international agreements on protecting workers' rights, still bans independent trades unions, child and prison labor remains a problem and that "scores of Christian, Muslim and Tibetan Buddhist worshippers have been arrested or detained during 2003."
The report urged US President George W. Bush and Congress to "increase diplomatic efforts" to make sure China keeps to commitments made during a dialogue with the United States last year.
It said special attention should be paid to those "arbitrarily detained" and to follow up on a Chinese promise to give unconditional invitations to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
The commission said greater efforts should be made to make sure goods made by prison laborers in China do not enter the US.
The report added: "Without urgent action, China faces an HIV/AIDS catastrophe, yet the Chinese government response has been tepid.
"The president and the Congress should continue to raise HIV/AIDS issues at the highest levels of the Chinese leadership during all bilateral meetings, citing the epidemic as an international concern that cannot be solved without the action of China's most senior leaders."
The commission said the government has attempted "significant steps" but progress was difficult and ignorance of the disease was widespread.
"Public health policies in some provinces have fostered the spread of HIV/AIDS and have left patients and orphans in dire distress. Complaints by these victims have been met with fear and forceful repression."
The Congress panel also raised concerns about Hong Kong, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997, citing US interests in the territory and its "role as an example of the benefits of the rule of law and broad civil liberties."
Following widespread public protests and international criticism, the Hong Kong government withdrew proposed anti-subversion legislation.
"The commission supports the people of Hong Kong and appreciates their accomplishment in peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of speech, the press and assembly to ensure that they do not find these rights circumscribed."
The report praised Hong Kong officials for making "unprecedented efforts" to make public information about the legislation.
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