By Jonathan Ansfield
BEIJING, March 23 – China suspended its human rights dialogue with the United States Tuesday, saying it had no alternative after Washington proposed a resolution to the United Nations to condemn Beijing’s record.
“The Chinese side cannot but immediately halt bilateral human rights dialogue and exchanges,” Assistant Foreign Minister Shen Guofang told U.S. Ambassador Clark Randt, according to a foreign ministry statement.
“The United States should bear all consequences that might arise from this.”
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.
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.
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.
The U.S. decision came just weeks after China released from prison democracy activist Wang Youcai and a Tibetan nun, 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.
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.
“DOUBLE STANDARDS”
Shen accused the United States of “double standards” and said China’s government cared more about human rights domestically than any 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.
A U.S. embassy spokesman declined to comment.
The United States proposed the resolution at the annual session of the Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Commission and sought to win supporters for its draft, particularly from the European Union, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said.
A condemnation from the 53-member commission in Geneva, 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 Boucher said relations with China were the best they have been for decades.
Chinese international relations expert Jin Canrong 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 Jin. “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.
