U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Vice Chairman of the House International Relations Committee, issued the following statement today in response to the Bush Administration’s decision to introduce, and seek passage of, a resolution at the United Nations’ Human Rights Commission in Geneva that would censure the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for its widespread abuse of basic human rights. Smith authored a resolution that passed the House and urged the U.S. to take such action. 

    “Despite the hopes that robust trade with China would usher a modicum of respect for basic human rights and fundamental liberties, the simple fact of the matter is that the dictatorship in China oppresses, tortures, and mistreats tens of millions of its own citizens,” Smith said.

    “The PRC’s repression is getting worse, with backsliding on commitments they had made to improve their horrific human rights record. I commend the Administration for confronting the ugly truth of the PRC’s reprehensible record,” Smith added.

    According to the State Department’s most recent human rights report, which extensively corroborates and documents known human rights incidents, the PRC’s human rights abuses include killing, torture, mistreatment of prisoners, and forced confessions.

    Smith has been among the leading voices in Congress urging the Bush Administration to move forward with a resolution to condemn and censure the People’s Republic of China for its backsliding on human rights commitments it made at last year’s session of the UN Human Rights Commission. He authored H. Res. 530, which cleared the House of Representatives on March 3 by a lopsided 402-2 margin.

    As passed by the House, Smith’s legislation formally urged the Administration that “at the 60th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva, Switzerland, the appropriate representative of the United States should introduce a resolution calling upon the People’s Republic of China to end its human rights violations in China and meet internationally recognized standards for human rights.”

    At last year’s session, the U.S. chose not to offer a resolution of censure in exchange for promises by the PRC to improve its record in selected human rights areas. Outside human rights organizations widely believe the PRC has failed to live up to its commitment.