US-China dialogue to restart with Internet and religious freedom
The talks, set for 13 and 14 May, would be the first under US President Barack Obama, who has faced harsh criticism at home from some activists who see him as downplaying human rights in his quest for stronger economic ties with mainland China.
The two nations had planned to hold talks at the start of year but everything was put off as China reacted angrily to US arms sales to Taiwan and President Barack Obama's meeting with the Dalai Lama.
The two sides are expected to have a “candid discussion” on issues like religious freedom, Internet freedom and the rule of law, State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said.
The United States is expected to talk about recent cases in which lawyers in China defending unpopular causes have arrested or harassed by the authorities, Crowley added.
“The rule of law means just that and the Chinese government should not be intimidating the legal profession or denying the right of counsel to any of its citizens,” he explained.
Beijing and Washington began holding talks on human rights in the aftermath of the Tiananmen Square massacre.
Beijing eventually suspended the annual event in 2002 in anger over US criticism at the United Nations of its rights record. It only agreed to one other round of talks, which were held in Beijing in May 2008, in all likelihood to improve its image ahead of that year’ Olympics. In fact, after the Games were over, the talks were suspended again.
Michael Posner, the US assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labour, and Chen Xu, director general of China's foreign ministry's department of international organisations and conferences, will head their respective teams at the talks on 13 and 14 May.
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05/08/2019 12:48
