China demands an apology from US over embassy visit
Source: Xinhua/Shanghai Daily |
May 3, 2012, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA is demanding an apology from the United States for taking a Chinese citizen "via abnormal means" into its embassy in Beijing, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said yesterday.
Chen Guangcheng, a native of Yinan County in eastern China's Shandong Province, entered the US Embassy in Beijing on April 26 and left of his own volition after a six-day stay, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said.
"It should be pointed out that Chen, a Chinese citizen, was taken by the US side to the US Embassy in Beijing via abnormal means, and the Chinese side is strongly dissatisfied with the move," Liu said.
China demanded the US investigate the incident, hold relevant people accountable and ensure that such an event does not happen again.
"What the US side has done has interfered in the domestic affairs of China, and the Chinese side will never accept it," he said. "The US Embassy in Beijing has an obligation to observe relevant international laws and Chinese laws, and it should not do anything irrelevant to its function."
Liu also urged the US to stop misleading the public after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made a statement on Chen.
Clinton said she was "pleased" the US side was able to "facilitate Chen's stay and departure from the US Embassy in a way that reflected his choices and our values."
Domestic affairs
Liu said: "What the US side should do now is neither to continue misleading the public and making every excuse to shift responsibility and conceal its wrongdoing, nor to interfere in the domestic affairs of China.
"(The US side) should learn from the incident in a serious and responsible attitude and reflect on its own policy and moves," Liu said.
China noted that the US had expressed the importance it attaches to China's demands and concerns and had promised to take necessary measures to avoid similar events, he said.
A senior US official yesterday acknowledged that US Embassy staff had assisted Chen's entry to the embassy but said that their actions were "lawful."
The official said Chen had entered the US Embassy in Beijing under "exceptional circumstances," requesting medical treatment.
"Because of his visual disability, on humanitarian grounds we assisted Chen in entering our facilities and allowed him to remain on a temporary basis," the official said.
"Throughout his stay at the embassy, Chen made clear from the beginning that he wanted to remain in China."
The official said Chen decided to leave the embassy yesterday and travel to a hospital in Beijing for a check-up.
Chen Guangcheng, a native of Yinan County in eastern China's Shandong Province, entered the US Embassy in Beijing on April 26 and left of his own volition after a six-day stay, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said.
"It should be pointed out that Chen, a Chinese citizen, was taken by the US side to the US Embassy in Beijing via abnormal means, and the Chinese side is strongly dissatisfied with the move," Liu said.
China demanded the US investigate the incident, hold relevant people accountable and ensure that such an event does not happen again.
"What the US side has done has interfered in the domestic affairs of China, and the Chinese side will never accept it," he said. "The US Embassy in Beijing has an obligation to observe relevant international laws and Chinese laws, and it should not do anything irrelevant to its function."
Liu also urged the US to stop misleading the public after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made a statement on Chen.
Clinton said she was "pleased" the US side was able to "facilitate Chen's stay and departure from the US Embassy in a way that reflected his choices and our values."
Domestic affairs
Liu said: "What the US side should do now is neither to continue misleading the public and making every excuse to shift responsibility and conceal its wrongdoing, nor to interfere in the domestic affairs of China.
"(The US side) should learn from the incident in a serious and responsible attitude and reflect on its own policy and moves," Liu said.
China noted that the US had expressed the importance it attaches to China's demands and concerns and had promised to take necessary measures to avoid similar events, he said.
A senior US official yesterday acknowledged that US Embassy staff had assisted Chen's entry to the embassy but said that their actions were "lawful."
The official said Chen had entered the US Embassy in Beijing under "exceptional circumstances," requesting medical treatment.
"Because of his visual disability, on humanitarian grounds we assisted Chen in entering our facilities and allowed him to remain on a temporary basis," the official said.
"Throughout his stay at the embassy, Chen made clear from the beginning that he wanted to remain in China."
The official said Chen decided to leave the embassy yesterday and travel to a hospital in Beijing for a check-up.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
