President Clinton is on a landmark visit to China.

On his arrival in the country, the Chinese government said Mr Clinton's visit heralded a new stage of development in relations between the two countries.

But back home in the US, there has been pressure on the president to take a hard line with the Chinese authorities over the issue of human rights.

Reports of editorial suppression in China and the detention of dissidents by the Chinese authorities have cast a cloud over proceedings.

They have also pushed the issue of human rights to the forefront.

Both republicans and the American public wanted the president to make an expression of world feeling at a ceremony in Tiananmen Square - where Chinese authorities killed pro-democracy activists in violent clashes in 1989.

The president said he fully intended to tackle the issue of personal freedom in China.

And in address to students at Beijing University, he has urged the Chinese Government to respect the basic human rights of its people, arguing that "freedom strengthens stability".

But he also wants to respect Chinese protocol. Any strong words to the Chinese President Jiang Zemin will therefore only be spoken in private.

But should President Clinton overlook protocol on this important visit? Should he take full advantage of the opportunity and be tough and open with China on this issue?

Critics say the president is reneging on his pre-election promise to make China improve its human rights record.

They add that if he has to go to China at all, the issue of human rights should be raised openly with the Chinese Government.

What do you think?

Should President Clinton push China on human rights?

All the world remembers the terrible scenes in Tiananmen Square - the Chinese President must talk about it openly before China can truly move on...
Amanda Joyce, US

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