On the MSNBC show Andrea Mitchell Reports today, Congressman Chris Smith said that President Obama should substantively discuss human rights abuses in China with Chinese President Xi Jinping in California Friday and Saturday during their planned meetings to discuss economic and security issues. 

    "As the entire world observed the grim anniversary earlier this week of the Tiananmen Square protests and massacre of 1989, the timing could not be better to raise the issue of human rights abuses in China," Smith said on the House floor June 6. He also held a hearing on the massacre on its 24th anniversary June 3. "Mr. President, tomorrow and Saturday be informed, be bold, be tenacious, and seriously raise human rights tomorrow with Chinese President Xi. No more superficial interventions."



Click here or on image below to watch his Friday, June 7 interview  on MSNBC.

     "Know that today there are brave men and women still fighting for freedom and suffering persecution in China.  The China 16 leaders represent thousands of men and women who have taken a stand for liberty at great cost to themselves and their loved ones," Smith said, specifically citing 16 prisoners which are particularly high profile among many, many others imprisoned in violation of their basic human rights. "Mr. President—raise these cases with Xi Jinping and insist upon their release. The China 16 represent the diversity of groups but not all that have been persecuted in China including Tibetans, Uyghurs, Christians, Falun Gong practitioners, pro-democracy advocates, human rights lawyers.  Some are suffering with major health problems and have been imprisoned for more than 10 years with little access to family members.  All have been locked up because they are seen as threats to the government’s hold on power.

    "Twenty-four years ago, we all watched in amazement what was unfolding in China. Since mid-April of 1989, hundreds of thousands of mostly young Chinese people peacefully asked their government to reform and democratize," Smith said. "China looked like the next impending triumph for freedom and democracy—especially after the stunning collapse of the dictatorships in the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact. Then on June 3^rd, the Peoples Liberation Army poured into and around the Square. Hope turned to shock, tears, fear and helplessness.  The Chinese dictatorship’s barbaric response that day has continued since in the form of mass murder, torture, incarceration, cover-up and the systematic suppression of fundamental human rights."