The U.S. government said it had in-depth and frank discussions on human rights issues with the Beijing government this week.
"The two sides held in-depth and frank discussions on the rule of law, freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of association, and other human rights issues, including specific cases of concern," said the U.S. State Department spokesperson Marie Harf.
The U.S.-China annual human rights dialogue was held in the Chinese city of Kunming Tuesday and Wednesday by interagency delegations led by Uzra Zeya, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Department of International Organizations and Conferences Director-General, Li Junhua.
"The promotion of human rights remains a key tenet of US foreign policy, including toward China, and we are committed to continuing candid and in-depth discussion with the Chinese government on this issue," said the U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki in a statement earlier this week.
"The Human Rights Dialogue provides an important opportunity to elaborate on our concerns about China's human rights record and to encourage progress, building on engagement on this topic throughout the year," said Jen Psaki.
As the two sides were holding rights talks in China, U.S. Congressman Frank Wolf called the human rights talks between the two countries a failure.
"It is striking that the human rights dialogue with the Chinese government rarely produces real results or changes. The content of these discussions is cloaked in secrecy, even with other policy makers, including Congress, and the broader human rights community," said the U.S. lawmaker in a press release, Tuesday.
"We are assured that behind closed doors the administration gave an impassioned defense of basic freedoms and human dignity. We are told that, privately, specific cases were raised. This approach has, time and again, failed to produce meaningful results," said Frank Wolf. "The imprisoned Catholic bishop, the detained blogger and the beleaguered human rights lawyer deserve far more than this administration has given them."
