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 The BBC's Flora Botsford reports"International criticism of its human rights record has continued"  real 28k  Claire Doole in Geneva"Mrs Albright's presence in Geneva underlines US determination to get China publicly rebuked by the UN"  real 28k |
The Chinese ambassador to the UN Geneva headquarters , Qiao Zonghuai, said American Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, had made groundless and slanderous charges against China.
Earlier Mrs Albright said that China's human rights record had markedly deteriorated over the past year, making reference to the detention of thousands of members of the spiritual movement, Falun Gong.
 Qiao Zonghuai: Groundless attack
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The Chinese authorities have escaped censure on human rights at the annual UN meeting since their forcible suppression of the pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989.
Earliuer, Mrs Albright said the international community owed it to the Chinese people not to "shy away from the whole truth".
Thousands of members of the Falun Gong movement were detained. Authorities continued to limit the abilities of Christians, Muslims and Buddhists.  |
Madeleine Albright
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Mrs Albright, who travelled from South Asia for a brief appearance before the 53-nation commission, also said that Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic "richly merits condemnation" after a decade of Balkan wars.
The US is going to introduce a resolution on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, particularly Serbia, to the commission, according to a senior US official.
Mrs Albright also expressed concern about human rights in Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Sudan and Burma.
Widespread arrests
She called for endorsement of a resolution on Cuba, to be tabled by the Czech Republic and Poland.
Referring to Russia's war against Chechen rebels, she said allegations of Russian violations - including extra-judicial killings - must be addressed urgently.
But China was the focus of her address, and three of the most senior members of Beijing's delegation left before the secretary of state spoke and returned when she had finished.
Falun Gong
Mrs Albright - the highest-ranking US official to address the forum in 10 years - said over the past year in China, there had been widespread arrests of those seeking to exercise their right to peaceful political expression.
The secretary of state also expressed concern for minority groups such as the Tibetans and Uighurs, which she said were barred from fully exercising their cultural and linguistic heritage.
The BBC's correspondent in Geneva says the presence of Mrs Albright underlines the determination by the US to get China publicly rebuked by the UN.
Our correspondent says the US believes it can succeed in getting a critical resolution passed this year because there are less China supporters on the commission than previous years.
The latest US resolution against China is expected to be presented next month but is being circulated among member states first to garner support.
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