Republicans are preparing to attack President Obama's human rights record because of the attention the case of Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng has received.
The House Foreign Affairs panel on human rights will hold a hearing to examine the diplomatic handling of the case and what the U.S. is doing to protect Chen’s family and friends from Chinese repression, next Tuesday, The Hill reports.
The panel will also investigate Chen’s fight against forced abortions and sterilizations. Republicans say the United Nations supports the program and that that Democrats want to continue funding.
Saying the administration goes too far in its attempts to maintain good relations with China, subcommittee chairman Chris Smith, R-N.J., says President Obama, who won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize, has been “coddling” the Chinese regime and there is little progress on human rights to show for it.
And Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., added, “I think America is losing its reputation and image on human rights.”
The White House disagrees. In a press briefing, spokesman Jay Carney said the president “is focused on the need to advance U.S. interests in our broad-based relationship with China. "He has and will continue to make a priority in that relationship or part of that relationship an open and frank discussion of our concerns about human rights,” said Carney.
© 2013 Newsmax. All rights reserved.