US Congress Speaker Newt Gingrich ended his visit to Beijing by accusing China of violating its own constitutional protection of human rights.
Addressing an audience of potential Foreign Ministry officials yesterday, he said America could not remain silent on the 'basic lack of freedom' that China's constitution purported to guarantee.
'Surely asking a government to enforce its own basic law is legitimate,' he said, noting China's supreme law claims to guarantee freedom of speech and religion.
'We're defined by freedom . . . it is to be American,' said the Georgia Republican. 'So, if you say 'Let's have a good relationship but please don't talk about freedom', I have nothing to say. I believe it is impossible in the information age to avoid commenting on each other's internal affairs.' In a peppery lecture to students at the Foreign Affairs College for Chinese diplomats, Mr Gingrich also hailed US troops' 'liberation' of South Korea in 1950, quoted the Declaration of Independence and predicted China would never eclipse America in economic dynamism.
'I don't think you should exaggerate,' he said. 'You are not going to have 50 years of 10 per cent a year growth.' Campus students politely rebuked Mr Gingrich for his remarks.
'This is no time for argument' said one student.