China summons US ambassador for anti-China motion

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, March 23, 2004

China summons US ambassador for anti-China motion

China expressed strong dissatisfaction Tuesday, March 23, with a decision by Washington to seek a resolution condemning its human rights record at a key UN meeting in Geneva and called in the US ambassador to lodge its protest.

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Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Shen Guofang summoned the US ambassador to China Clark T.Randt Tuesday to make solemn representations on the US decision to make a human rights motion on China to the UN human rights conference.

China strongly opposes the US decision to introduce the anti-China motion at the UN human rights conference, Shen said, noting that the motion was "groundless".

China's democracy and legislation have been progressing forward continuously and the government has paid great attention to protecting various rights of the people, Shen said.

He noted that China forged regulations on legal aid and simplified the procedure concerning services by the public security and judicial sectors. China has amended the Constitution earlier this month to clearly state the respect and protection of lawful private property rights and the respect and protection of human rights.

"China's human rights cause has made remarkable progress," Shen said. "The dialogue on human rights between China and the European Union and other western countries was fruitful and appreciated by the international community. It is by no means 'backsliding' or deteriorating as accused by the United States."

China has held that the differences between China and the United States on human rights issues should be addressed through dialogue.

Such consultations between the two sides were underway, but the US side swallowed its words and ran against its commitment by deciding to introduce the motion, Shen said.

"That fully shows the US side was determined to stir up confrontation," he said. "It is a typical behavior of politicizing the human rights issue and exercising a double standard. It is doomed to meet with opposition by the international community."

The Chinese government cares about the Chinese people's human rights more than any other country and China needs no outside interference and firmly opposes any interference from any country, Shen said.

"Any attempt aimed at changing the system chosen by the Chinese people through exerting pressure will be of no avail," Shen said.

"We do not wish to see confrontation at the UN human rights conference in Geneva, but if the United States is determined to choose confrontation, China does not fear that and will keep acting in response till the end," he said.

Shen said that the confrontation caused by the US side has severely undermined the basis of dialogue and exchange on human rights between the two countries.

"China cannot but suspend the dialogue immediately, and the US side should be held responsible for any consequences thereafter," he said.

The United States announced Monday in Washington it would seek a resolution condemning China for alleged human rights abuses and accused Beijing of not living up to its international commitments to protect the rights of its citizens.

China indignant at US human rights move

The US decision to introduce an anti-China human rights motion at the UN human rights conference is a "severe interference in China's internal affairs", a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday.

The Chinese government and people express strong indignation at and are firmly opposed to the US move, spokesman Kong Quan said ina statement.

Kong said that the US decision was made with a motive on its domestic politics rather than care for human rights, which marked an attempt to interfere in China's internal affairs under the disguise of human rights.

Kong stressed that the US decision has politicized the human rights issue, and therefore tarnished the sacred cause of human rights. Such an unpopular attempt will be futile, he said.

"The Chinese Government has paid great attention to the promotion of human rights and earnestly implemented relevant human rights convention it has joined," Kong said in the statement.

China has been strengthening its construction on democracy and rule of law and the its reform of the judicial system in order to improve the protection of human rights, Kong said, noting the fact that China wrote the respect and protection of human rights into its Constitution earlier this month.

Kong said China has made remarkable progress in the protection of human rights, which has won praises from the international community widely.

Recognizing that differences exist between China and the United States on the issue of human rights, Kong said such differences should be properly addressed through dialogue and exchange "on the basis of equality and mutual respect."

"China has made unremitting efforts and showed utmost sincerity and flexibility in this regard," he said.

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