Clinton focuses on climate change, not human rights, in China

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton is in China, talking about the environment and other issues, but not talking much about human rights, a different tone from when she was first lady.

The New York Times reports:

It was a stark contrast to 1995, when Mrs. Clinton, then first lady, gave a now-legendary speech in Beijing at a United Nations conference, in which she cataloged abuses against women and concluded, “human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights.”

Her change in direction might an indication of the Obama administration’s focus on global climate change. Still, some human rights groups, including Amnesty International, were upset that Clinton would not significantly address human rights on her first visit to China as secretary of State.

Amnesty released a statement saying it was shocked that Clinton would not consider human rights as a top priority. The statement said, in part:

The United States is one of the only countries that can meaningfully stand up to China on human rights issues. But by commenting that human rights will not interfere with other priorities, Secretary Clinton damages future U.S. initiatives to protect those rights in China.

Clinton defended her decision not to focus on human rights. As CNN reported:

“Human rights cannot interfere with the global economic crisis, the global climate change crisis and the security crises,” Clinton said in talks with China’s foreign minister.

The AP reported that dissidents were being detained while Clinton was visiting.

Should human rights vioaltions in China be an integral part of our foreign relations with that nation? Is the Obama adminsitration, including Clinton, moving in the right direction with China by focusing on global issues, including climate change?