China Suspends Human Rights Dialogue with U.S.

Jonathan Ansfield and Benjamin Kang Lim

BEIJING (Reuters) - China suspended its dialogue on human rights with the United States Tuesday, saying it was not afraid to take on Washington over its proposal to the United Nations to condemn Beijing's record.

The United States urged a U.N. watchdog Monday to condemn China's "backsliding" on human rights, despite Beijing's warning the move could affect warming Sino-U.S. ties.

"The Chinese side cannot but immediately halt bilateral human rights dialogue and exchanges," Assistant Foreign Minister Shen Guofang told U.S. Ambassador Clark Randt.

"The United States should bear all consequences that might arise from this," a foreign ministry statement said.

It was not the first time China has suspended dialogue with the United States on the issue and analysts said it was unlikely to inflict much damage on overall relations.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said China was shocked by the U.S. move but would not shy away from confrontation.

"If the United States is bent on stirring up confrontation in such an arena, the Chinese side is not afraid," Kong told a news conference, referring to the annual session of the Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Commission.

"We will keep the United States company to the end," Kong said. "Justice will eventually defeat confrontation. Dialogue will eventually defeat confrontation."

Washington has said China made some improvements in 2002 but that last year its rights record deteriorated with such abuses as extrajudicial killings, torture and the repression of religious and political groups opposed to the government.

SYMBOLIC MOVES

The U.S. decision came just weeks after China released democracy activist Wang Youcai and a Tibetan nun from prison and cut the jail term of ethnic Uighur businesswoman Rebiya Kadeer -- all cases the United States has brought up in the rights dialogue.

Rights groups see such moves as a step in the right direction, though largely symbolic, and continue to protest against China's record.

Washington decided against such a censure last year and China told the United States to "think three times" about introducing a critical resolution this year.

Shen said Washington went back on its word to "suddenly" announce the resolution amid consultations between the two.

"The United States's insistence on provoking confrontation has seriously damaged the foundation of our two countries' human rights dialogue and exchange," Shen was quoted as saying.

Shen accused the United States of double standards and said China cared more about human rights than any other country.

He also pointed out a host of legal steps China has taken recently in an attempt to better protect human rights, including a constitutional amendment this month.

A condemnation from the 53-member U.N. Human Rights Commission, which began its six-week session last week, brings no penalties but spotlights a country's behavior.

While the United States targets abuses of individual liberties, China insists that protecting basic human rights means sheltering, clothing and feeding its 1.3 billion people, and preserving social stability.

Despite differences over rights, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said bilateral relations with China were the best they have been for decades.

Analysts said the suspension of the rights dialogue was unlikely to have much effect on other areas of the Sino-U.S. relationship, like its growing trade ties.

"It should not have a big effect," said international relations expert Jin Canrong. "In recent years, things have been done issue by issue and have been de-linked," he said.

Ties between the United States and China, often strained by disagreement over issues such as human rights, trade and Taiwan, have improved in recent years.

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Source: "Reuters".