CHINA: Outgoing U.S. Ambassador Gary Locke bids farewell to China, says key to China's future lies in strengthening its rule of law
Record ID:
836810
CHINA: Outgoing U.S. Ambassador Gary Locke bids farewell to China, says key to China's future lies in strengthening its rule of law
- Title: CHINA: Outgoing U.S. Ambassador Gary Locke bids farewell to China, says key to China's future lies in strengthening its rule of law
- Date: 26th February 2014
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (FEBRUARY 26, 2014) (REUTERS) **CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY** U.S. OFFICIAL INTRODUCING U.S. AMBASSADOR GARY LOCKE/ LOCKE WALKING UP TO PODIUM CAMERA SCREEN SHOWING LOCKE SPEAKING GIRL TAKING PHOTO (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. AMBASSADOR TO CHINA GARY LOCKE, SAYING: "China has a great future ahead of it. But reaching its full potential will depend on a neutral and respected judiciary. An active set of dedicated lawyers, wise leadership, but most of all, reverence toward the rule of law. It will also depend on respect for the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech for all, an open internet, a well-informed citizenry willing to engage in unrestricted dialogue on how best to build a stable and progressive future for China." LOCKE SPEAKING TO AUDIENCE GIRL LOOKING ON (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) U.S. AMBASSADOR TO CHINA GARY LOCKE, SAYING: "We would also like to see better and more equitable treatment of foreign journalists in China, giving them the freedom to report honestly and frankly, good and bad about China, just as Chinese journalists enjoy these freedoms in America. As a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council that has hosted the Olympics and sent a spacecraft to the moon, China should have the national self confidence to withstand the media scrutiny that most of the world takes for granted." GIRL ASKING QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) U.S. AMBASSADOR TO CHINA GARY LOCKE, SAYING: "The U.S. is deeply concerned over the recent pattern of harassment, arrests, and prosecutions of good government advocates, of public interest lawyers, of activists, internet journalists, religious leaders, and even others in China. The United States calls on China to guarantee peaceful activists the protections and freedoms to which they're entitled under China's international human rights commitments." LOCKE SHAKING HAND OF U.S. OFFICIAL/ WALKING AWAY FROM PODIUM
- Embargoed: 13th March 2014 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: China
- City:
- Country: China
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA8WS53DQCAWTFTJN3JVRV8BIUJ
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- Story Text: Outgoing U.S. Ambassador to China, Gary Locke said the key to China's future lies in its commitment to strengthening its rule of law on Wednesday (February 26).
Locke made the comments during his final public speech in Beijing in front of students from China's top universities.
"China has a great future ahead of it. But reaching its full potential will depend on a neutral and respected judiciary. An active set of dedicated lawyers, wise leadership, but most of all, reverence toward the rule of law. It will also depend on respect for the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech for all, an open internet, a well-informed citizenry willing to engage in unrestricted dialogue on how best to build a stable and progressive future for China," said Locke.
Locke said that his experience as a lawyer and as governor of Washington made him particularly "passionate" about promoting this issue.
He also called on China to loosen its restrictions on foreign reporters.
"We would also like to see better and more equitable treatment of foreign journalists in China, giving them the freedom to report honestly and frankly, good and bad about China, just as Chinese journalists enjoy these freedoms in America. As a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council that has hosted the Olympics and sent a spacecraft to the moon, China should have the national self confidence to withstand the media scrutiny that most of the world takes for granted," he said.
Locke is the first American of Chinese descent to head the U.S. embassy in Beijing. His grandfather emigrated from China to Washington state, and his father, who was also born in China, ran a grocery store in the United States.
Locke's 2-1/2 years as ambassador were partly defined by a diplomatic tussle over blind human rights activist Chen Guangcheng, who escaped from house arrest in 2012 to seek refuge in the embassy and later travelled to New York to study on a U.S.-brokered deal.
Locke restated U.S. concerns over a spate of arrests and prosecutions of reform activists, but mentioned no specific cases.
"The U.S. is deeply concerned over the recent pattern of harassment, arrests, and prosecutions of good government advocates, of public interest lawyers, of activists, internet journalists, religious leaders, and even others in China. The United States calls on China to guarantee peaceful activists the protections and freedoms to which they're entitled under China's international human rights commitments," he said.
In late January, a court sentenced one of China's most prominent rights advocates, Xu Zhiyong, to four years in prison after he campaigned for the rights of children from rural areas to be educated in cities alongside their migrant parents and for officials to disclose their assets. China has detained at least 20 campaigners demanding asset disclosure in recent months.
Western governments have sparred repeatedly with Beijing over human rights and the United States raised Xu's case this month during its annual rights dialogue with China.
Locke, a former commerce secretary, was the first Chinese-American to head the embassy in Beijing. He was immediately popular on arrival, partly because of his Chinese descent, but also because of what Chinese people viewed as his humble manner.
But Chinese criticism of him mounted in 2012 over the Chen affair, which overshadowed high-level U.S.-Chinese foreign policy and economic talks.
Locke, who leaves Beijing on Saturday will be replaced by Senator Max Baucus. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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