The following information reports U.S. Government priorities and
activities of the U.S. mission in China to promote democracy and human
rights. For background on China's human rights conditions, please see
the 2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices and the International
Religious Freedom Reports at www.state.gov.
Part 1: U.S. Government Democracy Objectives
The United States will continue to urge China to adhere to its
international obligations, to international human rights standards, and
to protect its citizens' constitutional rights by advocating for reform,
promoting universal norms of civil liberties and raising individual
cases of concern. Key programmatic elements aim to promote the rule of
law and protect civil and minority rights, strengthen the judicial
system, improve public participation and transparency in governance,
bolster civil society, expand religious freedom, and preserve minority
communities and culture.
The United States employs multiple diplomatic and public diplomacy
strategies to promote human rights and democracy in China, all of which
emphasize that progress in these areas is in China's interest. U.S.
officials publicly and privately urge the government to bring its human
rights practices into compliance with international standards, to make
systemic reforms, and to release political prisoners and prisoners of
conscience. The United States encourages the government to strengthen
China's judicial system and judicial independence, and strengthen the
rule of law; encourage democratic political reform; promote freedom of
religion and the press; protect human rights, including the rights of
workers, women, and ethnic and religious minority groups; improve
transparency in governance; and strengthen civil society.
The United States publicly and privately urges the government to
distinguish carefully between those seeking to express peaceful
political dissent and those engaged in terrorism. The U.S. has expressed
to the Chinese government its concern over the treatment of Uighur
Muslims forcibly returned from Cambodia where they were seeking asylum.
U.S. officials also press the government not to repatriate forcibly
North Korean refugees, and to allow UNHCR officials access to this
vulnerable population. The United States urges the government to put an
end to coercive elements of its birth limitation program.
Part 2: Supporting Top Priorities and Other Aspects of Human Rights and
Democratic Governance
In May 2010 the United States and China held a formal bilateral Human
Rights Dialogue. Among other topics, U.S. officials emphasized how the
impartial application of an objective body of law, without political
interference, could help the country address the challenges it faces in
creating a more just and stable society.
As part of its efforts to promote legal reform, promote progress on the
rule of law, and encourage judicial independence, the United States
funds projects designed to provide legal technical assistance, assist
efforts to reform China's criminal code, strengthen legal education,
support judicial independence, improve access to legal representation,
and enable average citizens to find the information necessary to seek
protection under the law. For example, a U.S.-supported project provides
training for prosecutors to bring trial skills up to international
standards, and complementary projects focus on techniques for defense
attorneys. Another program has facilitated engagement by a U.S. federal
prosecutor with China's legal academic community and government in order
to encourage criminal justice reform. This U.S. official lectures at
government training institutions and universities, as well as directly
at courts and prosecutors' offices, on issues ranging from search and
seizure to compelling witness testimony at trial, and participates in
international and domestic anticorruption conferences.
U.S. officials coordinate programs for federal and state judges and
other legal experts to discuss trial and criminal procedure reform,
discovery and evidence rules, prison reform, and other rule of law
issues with judges, lawyers, officials, and academics. The U.S.
Government also supports a partnership between U.S. and Chinese
universities to help promote legal and justice system reform; to enhance
the rule of law; and to improve access to legal representation for
disenfranchised populations. The U.S. Speakers Program supports these
efforts by sponsoring U.S. speakers to discuss rule of law issues
throughout China. Approximately one-third of all Chinese citizens who
participated in U.S. government-sponsored professional exchange programs
worked in democracy and rights-related fields or in areas related to
religion. U.S. sponsored rule of law programs include opportunities for
legal scholars to undertake independent, advanced research at U.S.
universities, and for U.S. professors to teach at top law schools and
lecture at leading legal training institutions in the country.
The United States supports programs to increase popular participation in
government and foster the development of local elections. U.S. programs
support grassroots democratization efforts through training elected
village officials and deputies to local legislatures. The U.S.
government supports projects that increase the capacity of independent
nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to address civil society and
governance issues, expand access for marginalized citizens to legal
services, and enable citizens to provide input individually and
collectively into public decisions. U.S. officials frequently raise
concerns with the Chinese government over restrictions on NGOs,
emphasizing the important contributions NGOs can make in developing a
vibrant civil society.
The U.S. government supports seminars and training on international
standards of free expression, reaching out to journalists, lawyers,
judges, and lawmakers. Visiting U.S. officials regularly discuss the
need for greater Internet and press freedom with Chinese counterparts.
U.S. officials also repeatedly raise the cases of detained journalists
and citizens in public remarks and in private meetings with senior
government officials. U.S. officials work with Internet portals and
media organizations to expand the nature and quality of discussion on
many topics including trade, clean energy development, and the U.S.
electoral process.
The United States promotes compliance with internationally recognized
labor standards. U.S. officials also monitor compliance with the 1992
U.S.-China Memorandum of Understanding and 1994 Statement of Cooperation
that prohibits the importation of products of prison labor, but they
receive very limited cooperation from the government. U.S. officials
also investigate allegations of forced and child labor. The Chinese
government, through the All China Women's Federation, works with the
International Labor Organization to prevent trafficking of women and
children for labor exploitation.
The United States supports programs to combat human trafficking and
promote HIV/AIDS education. The United States and the Chinese government
conduct exchanges on coal mine safety and occupational safety pursuant
to a Letter of Understanding, and exchanges on wage and hour
administration, law enforcement, and pension security. The United States
funds programs that support technical cooperation on dispute resolution
and help develop the capacity of local organizations involved in rights
protection and legal aid for workers.
TIBET
Within the framework of our recognition that Tibet is part of China,the
United States has urged the Chinese government to enter into substantive
dialogue with the representatives of the Dalai Lama toaddress issues
concerning religious freedom and protection of Tibetan culture andto
advocate vigorously for improvements in the human rights and religious
freedom conditions in the Tibet Autonomous Region and other Tibetan
areas of China. The United States consistently presses for unfettered
access to the region by journalists, diplomats, and other international
observers, and calls for the release of all prisoners of conscience, and
for the proper treatment of all detainees. U.S. officials continue
publicly to urge China to end repressive policies that played a role in
triggering the recent unrest. U.S. government officials at all levels
continue to raise individual human rights cases involving Tibetans,
including the status of Gendun Choekyi Nyima, the boy recognized by the
Dalai Lama as the Panchen Lama. The U.S. Government seeks to expand
exchanges with Tibetans resident in China, including government
officials and religious leaders, through the International Visitor
Leadership Program and other exchange opportunities.
