China-US to hold rights dialogue amid crackdown

BEIJING – The U.S. State Department says its diplomats will discuss recent forced disappearances and detentions of Chinese dissidents during human rights talks in Beijing next week.

A statement from the department says the two-day U.S.-China Human Rights Dialogue will also touch on rule of law, freedom of religion, freedom of expression, labor rights, minority rights and other human rights issues of concern.

It says Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Michael Posner will head the U.S. side for what are expected to be candid and in-depth discussions.

Dozens of well-known Chinese lawyers and activists from across the country have vanished, been interrogated or criminally detained for subversion in a 2-month-old crackdown.


(2011-4-22/foxnews)