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

On May 8, 2012, China Review News published an editorial article that commented that the U.S. government’s cautious, low-key handling of the Chen Guangcheng case was a sign that U.S. national power is weakening as China’s national power is increasing.

“Marked by the U.S. handling of the Chen Guangcheng case, human rights issues will have little impact on Sino-US relations. Compared to the most tangible national interests, the ideological importance is, after all, of secondary consideration. While American public opinion is still very emotional on such issues, the U.S. government, as the ‘legal representative’ of the country, is much more rational and pragmatic for the sake of its national interests.”

Source: China Review News, May 8, 2012
http://www.zhgpl.com/doc/1020/9/9/1/102099135.html?coluid=136&kindid=4711&docid=102099135&mdate=0508001936

Huanqiu published a commentary stating that Western media once again picked up on the Chen Guangcheng case and tried to exaggerate the circumstances, pointing to this as another example of the U.S. tendency to discredit China.

According to the article, Chen’s case reached a turning point one day before the strategic and economic dialog, which was an indication that both sides did not want Chen’s case to interfere with their relationship. Chen’s case only represents a small percentage of the incidents that occur and will not bring fundamental damage to Chinese society and to the advancement and development work of Chinese human rights. The article also claimed that, in recent years, China has made achievements in the area of human rights. The foundation of China’s stability is at the local level, which faces most of the issues, but the situation is improving. … China is so big that there is resistance emerging here and there but it is mostly buried and has not formed a major phenomenon yet.

The article wished that the U.S. consulate would be cautious in its actions and stay away from the activities that do not fit its job description. “The U.S. should place its interest in winning the heart of Chinese main stream society, but not act as the spiritual support for Chinese extremists because the consulate cannot afford the burden.”

Source: Huanqiu, May 3, 2012
http://china.huanqiu.com/newchinahotcomment/2012-05/2683468.html

China Economy carried an article that Beijing Daily originally published discrediting how U.S. politicians handled the Chen Guangcheng case and saying that the Chinese people did not accept its attempt to cause a disturbance in China’s internal affairs. It further criticized Gary Locke his seeking publicity and called his actions “inconsistent” with his title as the consulate general, saying that the U.S. should learn how to respect China’s core values and interact with China equally.

The article added that the U.S. politicians’ attempts to be smart in order to cause a disturbance for China was too naive and didn’t work. “The U.S. has, rather, exposed itself by showing its ugliness.” “A consulate that is stationed in China should obey diplomatic forms. It shouldn’t, with ulterior motives, conduct any actions that will discredit themselves or their country’s reputation.”

The article claimed that the rights activist Chen Guangcheng can’t represent anyone except Western anti-China forces and that he has become a tool that U.S. politicians use to discredit China. The demand that Chen laid out did nothing more than demonstrate the urgency of U.S. politicians attempt to create trouble for China. “Chinese society will not give any recognition to their poor performance. It is not that easy to fool and take advantage of the Chinese people." Further, no one in the country will allow another country or consulate to interfere with China’s own internal affairs, despite the fact that the system and many people face a number of social issues.

In attacking Gary Locke, it called him, "The U.S. politician who tried to stir up trouble." The few “disturbing” actions that Locke took included: boarding an airplane using economy class, carrying his own bags himself, using coupons to buy coffee, inspecting and publishing the U.S. consulate’s air pollution index, participating in a Beijing city management dispute, and bringing Chen Guangcheng into the U.S. consulate using an unconventional method.

The article suggested that the U.S. and China should respect and tolerate each other and use dialog and communication to deal with their differences. “Only when U.S. politicians put aside their (ulterior) motives can they properly manage the U.S. China relationship so that both countries can benefit.” 

Source: China Economy, May 4, 2012
http://www.ce.cn/xwzx/gnsz/gdxw/201205/04/t20120504_23294198.shtml