US Hits Wall In Latest Pitch To Improve Rights in China

IN the run-up to a possible confrontation at the United Nations later this month, the United States and China once again butted heads over human rights.

During more than two days of meetings in Beijing last week, US assistant secretary of state for human rights, John Shattuck, raised appeals for the freedom of Wei Jingsheng and other Chinese dissidents but admitted no progress toward allowing more political freedom in China.

At the annual meeting of the UN Commission on Human Rights starting Jan. 30, the US will make another attempt to introduce a resolution criticizing China. For the past five years, the US has failed to win enough support to get the resolution to the floor. But analysts say the US is mounting a strong campaign and could win a procedural vote to consider the resolution, which would embarrass China.

At a press conference Sunday, Mr. Shattuck insisted human rights was still a key part of US relations with China, but noted there were still ``plenty of disagreements.''