When the annual China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue ended on May 4, 2012, China’s State Councilor, Dai Bingguo, proclaimed: “Human rights issues should not disturb state-to-state relations, and they should not be used as an excuse to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries.”
(Editor’s note: On April 22, 2012, China’s blind human rights activist, Chen Guangcheng, escaped from house arrest and made his way to the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, where he stayed for 6 days. Prior to the China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue and after China’s foreign minister promised safety to Chen while he was in China, Chen was escorted out of the U.S. Embassy. Chen and his family are now in a hospital in Beijing surrounded by police guards who will not allow Chen’s relatives, friends and supporters to visit him. A Chinese lawyer who tried to visit him last week was severely beaten.)
Source: Xinhua, May 5, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2012-05/05/c_123080741.htm