Human Rights and Rule of Law in China

Wednesday, September 20 from 10 AM to 11:30 AM in Room 138 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building

View Webcast (You will need to fast-forward to minute 32)
(Requires RealPlayer) 

The Congressional-Executive Commission on China held a Commission hearing entitled "Human Rights and Rule of Law in China," on Wednesday, September 20 from 10 AM to 11:30 AM in Room 138 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. Senator Chuck Hagel, Chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, presided.

The Commission issues a report each year to the Congressional leadership and to the President on human rights conditions and the development of the rule of law in China. In connection with the release of the 2006 Annual Report, the Commission asked a distinguished group of witnesses to assess the current state of freedom of expression, criminal and civil rights defense, and government transparency in providing information about prisoners of conscience in China. The witnesses also discussed the state of the legal profession and efforts to develop the rule of law, adopt democratic institutions of governance, implement legislative reform, and improve the environment for domestic and international civil society institutions in China. The Commission also heard the perspective of the witnesses on how the United States might best engage with the Chinese government through dialogue on human rights and rule of law issues.

Statements of Members

• U.S. Senate
  • Senator Chuck Hagel - Chairman
  • Senator Sam Brownback
  • Senator Mel Martinez
• U.S. House of Representatives
  • Representative Jim Leach - Co-Chairman
  • Representative Joseph R. Pitts
  • Representative Robert B. Aderholt
  • Representative Sander M. Levin - Ranking Member
  • Representative Michael M. Honda
• Executive Branch
  • Steven J. Law
  • Franklin L. Lavin

Statements of Witnesses

Jerome A. Cohen
Professor of Law
New York University School of Law

John Kamm
Executive Director
The Dui Hua Foundation

Minxin Pei
Director
China Program
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Xiao Qiang
Director
China Internet Project
University of California at Berkeley

Transcript: Human Rights and the Rule of Law in China, September 20, 2006 - TEXT 194K | PDF 330K