Chinese foreign ministry : " We advise the US side to reflect on its own human rights issues and not to position itself as a preacher of human ri

China has told the US to stop
preaching on human rights, after
the state department 's annual
report on the issue criticised China .
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei
said the US should concentrate on its
own rights issues and stop interfering .
Chinese authorities have launched a
major crackdown on dissent recently.
Unveiling the report, US officials
expressed particular concern over the
recent arrest of the artist Ai Weiwei , an
outspoken critic of the government.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
also highlighted reports of other
intellectuals and activists being
" arbitrarily detained " in recent weeks.
Mr Hong said China was happy to talk
about rights " on the basis of equality
and mutual respect " , but added that
Beijing " resolutely opposes " meddling
in other country's affairs .
" We advise the US side to reflect on its
own human rights issues and not to
position itself as a preacher of human
rights, " he said.
"[ The US should ] stop using the issue
of human rights reports to interfere in
other countries' internal affairs."
The state department's annual report
criticising China, followed swiftly by a
tough riposte from Beijing , is now a
well -established diplomatic ritual .
But analysts say this year's tit- for- tat
exchange has been sharpened by
Beijing 's crackdown on dissent .