Beijing - The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mrs Mary Robinson, opened a regional forum on human rights in Beijing yesterday amid renewed criticism of China's own abuse of civil liberties. Mrs Robinson is due to meet the Chinese Vice-Premier, Mr Qian Qichen, today for talks designed to help to clear the way for China to sign key international rights pacts.
Her visit comes just days after an annual US State Department report said China's human rights record "deteriorated markedly" in 1999, citing suppression of religion, jailings of dissidents and political purges in Tibet.