BEIJING – China on Thursday blasted a U.S. State Department report criticizing its human rights record, calling the claims groundless and accusing Washington of interfering in its internal affairs.
The report issued in Washington on Wednesday accuses China of stepping up cultural and religious repression of minorities in Tibet and elsewhere and increasing the detention and harassment of dissidents.
It said authorities continued to limit citizens' right to privacy, freedom of speech, assembly, movement and association. Authorities also committed extrajudicial killings and torture, coerced confessions from prisoners and used forced labor, the U.S. report said.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said China favored a rights dialogue but opposed "any countries interfering in China's internal affairs under the pretext of human rights.
"We urge the U.S. side to reflect on its own human rights problems, stop acting as a human rights guardian, stop interfering in others' internal affairs by issuing such human rights reports," Ma told reporters at a regularly scheduled news conference.
Both Ma and the official Xinhua News Agency said the report ignored China's achievements in human rights, which Beijing defines mainly as improvements to living standards.
"It willfully ignored and distorted basic facts, groundlessly assailing China's human rights conditions and making random and irresponsible remarks on China's ethnic, religious and legal systems," Xinhua said in a report issued early Thursday.
The exchange comes just three days after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton charted a moderate path for relations in her first visit to Beijing in office.
Clinton drew criticism from rights groups and Republican members of Congress by saying on her Asia trip that human rights was just one of several issues that China and the U.S. needed to discuss.
The State Department report covers 2008 and was largely drafted during President George W. Bush's administration, although Clinton signed off on the findings.
After criticizing Clinton's comments last week, rights group Amnesty International praised the report for what it called its "candid review of the worsening human rights situation in China."
It called on the new administration of President Barack Obama to integrate the findings into a "foreign policy that not only acknowledges and denounces, but also takes concrete steps to effectively address the unacceptable state of human rights in its bilateral and multilateral forums with China."
China and the U.S. have carried out a sporadic dialogue on human rights, with the most recent meetings — the first in six years — held in Beijing last year. However, the new administration has yet to appoint a replacement to Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor David Kramer, and it isn't clear when the next round will be held.
Beijing last year carried out a massive crackdown on sometimes violent anti-government protesters in Tibetan areas and reported a nearly doubling of arrests for state security crimes in the volatile Muslim western region of Xinjiang. Authorities rejected requests to stage peaceful protests during the August Beijing Olympics and have harassed and detained intellectuals who signed a call for greater political freedoms titled "Charter '08."
One of the country's best-known human rights activists, Hu Jia, was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison last April.
Activists also tell of a massive security presence in areas of Tibet ahead of the upcoming anniversary of last year's riots and protests, as well as the anniversary of a failed 1959 uprising against Chinese rule. China has sealed the area off to foreigners and journalists.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
China calls on Russia to investigate ship incident
(The cargo ship "New Star" is seen near the Russian far eastern port of Nakhodka in this February 14, 2009 picture taken by Russia's border patrol. [Agencies] )
The three Chinese sailors rescued from a cargo ship that sank Sunday in the Sea of Japan near Russia's far-eastern port of Vladivostok are in good health, but seven other crew members remain missing, an official with the Chinese Consulate in Vladivostok told Xinhua Thursday.
China's Foreign Ministry has urged Russia on Thursday to investigate the incident.
Chinese consulate officials in the city of Khabarovsk arrived at the port of Nakhodka to visit the rescued sailors shortly after the incident, said Wang Pengbo, a Chinese consulate official in Vladivostok.
The officials have met with Russian border guard officials regarding the search for the missing crew members, Wang said.
The cargo ship "New Star" on Sunday sank off the waters near Russia's far-eastern port of Vladivostok. Three Chinese crew members were rescued and seven others were missing, said Jiang Yu, spokeswoman for China's Foreign Ministry during a regular press conference in Beijing.
"The Foreign Ministry and the Chinese consulate in Russia have already respectively raised representations to the Russian Embassy in China and other related Russian departments, urging the Russian side to spare no effort to help search for the missing crew members and quickly find out the causes of the incident," Jiang said.
The Global Times, a Chinese language newspaper based in Beijing, said the ship was fired on by the Russian navy before it sank, citing a Russian newspaper. Three of the missing sailors are Chinese while the other five came from Indonesia, the report said.
According the International Maritime Organization, the owner of New Star is a shipping company of Zhejiang, while the operator is a company based in Guangzhou.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
My Sun Sign
Who keeps an arrow in his bow,And if you prod him, lets it go? A fervent friend, a subtle foe Scorpio
Scorpio: October 24-November 22Ruling
Scorpio: October 24-November 22Ruling
Planet: Mars & Pluto
Symbol: Eagle, Scorpion
Color: Maroon, Dark RedLucky
stone: Topaz, Citrine
Flowers: Geranium, Honeysuckle
Lucky Number: 4 and 2
Lucky Day: Tuesday
Key phrase: I Desire
Keywords: Intense, Passionate,Jealous
Main trait: Idealism
Notable Scorpio: Theodore Roosevelt (October 27, 1858; American President)Bill Gates (October 28, 1955; Founder of the Microsoft Corporation)
Personal traits: Scorpions are known for their intense and powerful natures. They are willful, proud and calm with an electrifying undercurrent of seething intensity. Purposeful and animated with force, they project a magnetic personality.Their demeanor is dignified and reserved, affable and courteous, and many have a gaze that is both direct and penetrating. When fixed on something or someone, the scorpion perseveres. Scorpio never settles. Life is meant to be lived to the fullest or not at all. Their sensitivity, and pride allow them to be easily hurt, quick to feel insult or injury, even when none is intended, and easily roused to heights of anger. An angry Scorpio is a sight to see. Unlike Leo, who can have a temper tantrum and five minutes later be quite himself again, Scorpio seethes, and doesn't give it up.
They are serious folk, but quite charming to people they like, and when social events call for it. Their tragic flaw is their immense pride. Once wronged, once Scorpio's pride has been diminished, the game of courtesy is over. Profession: Any profession in which analysis, investigation, research or dealing with the solving of mysteries are present appeals to Scorpio. Police and detective work, espionage, the law, physics or psychology are attractive professions to the Scorpio.
Personal traits: Scorpions are known for their intense and powerful natures. They are willful, proud and calm with an electrifying undercurrent of seething intensity. Purposeful and animated with force, they project a magnetic personality.Their demeanor is dignified and reserved, affable and courteous, and many have a gaze that is both direct and penetrating. When fixed on something or someone, the scorpion perseveres. Scorpio never settles. Life is meant to be lived to the fullest or not at all. Their sensitivity, and pride allow them to be easily hurt, quick to feel insult or injury, even when none is intended, and easily roused to heights of anger. An angry Scorpio is a sight to see. Unlike Leo, who can have a temper tantrum and five minutes later be quite himself again, Scorpio seethes, and doesn't give it up.
They are serious folk, but quite charming to people they like, and when social events call for it. Their tragic flaw is their immense pride. Once wronged, once Scorpio's pride has been diminished, the game of courtesy is over. Profession: Any profession in which analysis, investigation, research or dealing with the solving of mysteries are present appeals to Scorpio. Police and detective work, espionage, the law, physics or psychology are attractive professions to the Scorpio.
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW YOUR SUN SIGN , PLEASE CLICK http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/language_tips/easyEnglish/easy_horoscope.html
Obama signs stimulus bill, readies homeowner plan
DENVER – Racing to reverse the country's economic spiral, US President Barack Obama signed a mammoth stimulus package into law Tuesday and readied a $50 billion rescue plan for Wednesday announcement to help legions of homeowners who are facing foreclosure.
Chinese military leaders visit Japan
A group of high-ranking Chinese military officials are in Japan to discuss the disputed Diaoyu Islands, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said yesterday.
Ge Zhenfeng, deputy chief of general staff of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), is scheduled to meet Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada and heads of staff of Japan's Self Defense Force (SDF) during his five-day stay, an unnamed MND spokesperson said in a statement. He also said Ge would also visit the Ground SDF.
Related readings: Japan told to keep away from Diaoyu Japan urged to immediately cease action on Diaoyu Islands Patrol near Diaoyu 'within our rights' Japan's Diaoyu survey protestedThe two sides might discuss such issues as the territorial dispute over the Diaoyu Islands and China's military spending, the Kyodo News Agency has reported.
The PLA Daily reported high-ranking PLA officials accompanying Ge include the deputy commander of the Beijing military area command, vice-commander of the South China Sea Fleet and vice-president of the PLA National Defense University.
"We believe the visit will promote relations between the two national defense ministries and boost our mutual trust in defense and security," the MND spokesperson said.
Hong Yuan, an international relations expert with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Ge might reiterate China's stance on the Diaoyu Islands and seek to avoid an escalation of the dispute.
Last Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry lodged a protest with the Japanese embassy in Beijing. The protest was in response to Japanese media reports that the island nation's Coast Guard anchored patrol vessels carrying helicopters on Feb 1 in waters off the Diaoyu Islands - five small, non-volcanic islets located between Taiwan and Okinawa.
High-level military exchanges between the two nations had been suspended for several years because of former Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Japan's war dead, including Class-A war criminals.
Exchanges resumed as bilateral relations warmed in autumn 2006 after Koizumi's successor Shinzo Abe's visit to China.
Last year, commanders of China's air force and navy visited Japan, while the head of SDF and Japan's deputy defense minister visited China.
The MND spokesman also confirmed Beijing and Washington would resume their annual military dialogue next week.
He said US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense David Sedney would visit Beijing from Feb 26 to 28 for the annual Defense Policy Coordination Talks.
Ge Zhenfeng, deputy chief of general staff of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), is scheduled to meet Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada and heads of staff of Japan's Self Defense Force (SDF) during his five-day stay, an unnamed MND spokesperson said in a statement. He also said Ge would also visit the Ground SDF.
Related readings: Japan told to keep away from Diaoyu Japan urged to immediately cease action on Diaoyu Islands Patrol near Diaoyu 'within our rights' Japan's Diaoyu survey protestedThe two sides might discuss such issues as the territorial dispute over the Diaoyu Islands and China's military spending, the Kyodo News Agency has reported.
The PLA Daily reported high-ranking PLA officials accompanying Ge include the deputy commander of the Beijing military area command, vice-commander of the South China Sea Fleet and vice-president of the PLA National Defense University.
"We believe the visit will promote relations between the two national defense ministries and boost our mutual trust in defense and security," the MND spokesperson said.
Hong Yuan, an international relations expert with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Ge might reiterate China's stance on the Diaoyu Islands and seek to avoid an escalation of the dispute.
Last Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry lodged a protest with the Japanese embassy in Beijing. The protest was in response to Japanese media reports that the island nation's Coast Guard anchored patrol vessels carrying helicopters on Feb 1 in waters off the Diaoyu Islands - five small, non-volcanic islets located between Taiwan and Okinawa.
High-level military exchanges between the two nations had been suspended for several years because of former Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Japan's war dead, including Class-A war criminals.
Exchanges resumed as bilateral relations warmed in autumn 2006 after Koizumi's successor Shinzo Abe's visit to China.
Last year, commanders of China's air force and navy visited Japan, while the head of SDF and Japan's deputy defense minister visited China.
The MND spokesman also confirmed Beijing and Washington would resume their annual military dialogue next week.
He said US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense David Sedney would visit Beijing from Feb 26 to 28 for the annual Defense Policy Coordination Talks.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Smart Answer
Applying for my first job, I realized I had to be creative in listing my few qualifications. Asked about additional schooling and training, I answered truthfully that I had spent three years in computer programming classes. I got the job.I had neglected to mention that I took the same course for three years before I passed.
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