Reality Check: Clinton’s Inconvenient Record On Human Rights In China
Last night, Clinton took to Twitter to denounce the jailing of five women activists in China.
Clinton tweet: “The detention of women’s activists in #China must end. This is inexcusable. #FreeBeijing20Five.”
But less than a month after being sworn in as Secretary of State, Clinton “infuriated” human rights organizations when she said in South Korea that human rights “can’t interfere” with more pressing issues that needed Chinese cooperation.
“Clinton, who on Sunday will complete a one-week tour of Asia, infuriated human rights organizations when she told reporters Friday that human rights concerns ‘can’t interfere’ with pressing China for greater cooperation on the economic front, the environment and the impasse over North Korea’s nuclear program. Many advocates were especially upset because Clinton, as first lady, achieved renown in 1995 for making a tough speech in Beijing about China’s human rights record.” –Glenn Kessler, The Washington Post
CLINTON: “But successive administrations and Chinese governments have been poised back and forth on these issues, and we have to continue to press them. But our pressing on those issues can’t interfere with the global economic crisis, the global climate change crisis, and the security crisis. We have to have a dialogue that leads to an understanding and cooperation on each of those.”–Hillary Clinton
As The New York Times highlighted, Clinton “made clear during her tenure as secretary of state that the vital economic and strategic dealings with China cannot become captive to the human rights cases.”
“Mrs. Clinton has mentioned Mr. Chen’s bravery in public as one of the most startling among China’s human rights dissidents. But she has also made clear during her tenure as secretary of state that the vital economic and strategic dealings with China cannot become captive to the human rights cases.”
Clinton’s comments, as The Washington Post editorial board said, would “demoralize thousands of democracy advocates in China” and make the world “wonder about the character” of the U.S.
“But Ms. Clinton’s statement will have an effect: It will demoralize thousands of democracy advocates in China, and it will cause many others around the world to wonder about the character of the new U.S. administration.”
