Biden, Clinton bluntly press China on rights

[The Northerner]

(Reuters) - Vice President Joseph Biden warned China on Monday the United States would press hard on human rights, over which the two sides have a "vigorous" disagreement and criticizing Beijing's latest crackdown on dissent.

Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton both used unusually blunt language on human rights at the start of an annual meeting of top officials from the two nations, saying the United States was concerned about Beijing's recent clampdown, which has involving arrests, detentions and secretive confinement of human rights lawyers, protesters and dissidents.

"No relationship that's real can be built on a false foundation. Where we disagree, it's important to state it. We will continue to express our views on these issues," Biden said at the opening of the Strategic and Economic Dialogue meeting in Washington.

Clinton said the United States had made clear both publicly and privately its concerns over Beijing's human rights record, which has long been a major irritant in relations.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/09/us-usa-china-rights-idUSTRE74837F20110509

[Vinnie From Indy]

1. The Chinese must be dumbfounded by these initiatives

Is there any doubt that their diplomats will counter with, "Well, the last time we looked, we have not invaded two countries and bombed the shit out of third nor have we issued "fatwas" against our own citizens living abroad".