Mitt Romney: Chen Guangcheng, Chinese Activist, Should Be Protected

This undated photo shows outspoken government critic Hu Jia (R) sharing a light moment with blind lawyer Chen Guangcheng (L) after his escape, at an undisclosed location in Beijing. (STR/AFP/GettyImages)

WASHINGTON -- Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney says the U.S. should do everything it can to protect a Chinese activist who escaped house arrest and was reported to be hiding in the U.S. embassy in Beijing.

In a statement released Sunday, Romney said the incident involving Chen Guangcheng points toward the broader issue of human rights and that the U.S. should help to reform the communist regime. Chen exposed forced abortions and sterilizations as a result of China's one-child policy.

"Any serious U.S. policy toward China," said Romney, "must confront the facts of the Chinese government's denial of political liberties, its one-child policy and other violations of human rights."

President Barack Obama has not spoken publicly on the incident, which comes on the eve of diplomatic talks with Beijing.

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Comments

[Joeyjackal]

04:27 AM on 05/05/2012

Romney has shown through his actions that he has little gravitas or a proper sense of what is appropriate behavior toward a sitting president as a delicate diplomatic negotiation is underway as both Obama's chief foreign policy advisor Hillary Clinton and the purpose of the matter itself, the blind, self-educated lawyer Chen Guangcheng are still overseas and the issue itself isn’t yet resolved. Imagine if the roles were reversed and Obama was characterizing the nature of these events with Romney in charge as a "day of shame" and rendering his unsought advice, not knowing all the particulars. I very much doubt he would appreciate this kind of unsolicited interference, criticism, distraction and commotion. I believe this qualifies as a pretty reasonable gauge to judge Romney’s mettle in the realm of foreign affairs and I think it demonstrably finds him a bit wanting.

[Jurgen Brul]

05:17 AM on 05/01/2012

Dear friends,

Our Economy is So BAD, that the Secretary of State
does not know how to Invest our Tax money in the Republic of China!

USA should invest in;
1. China’s Primary Education
2. China’s Bio Energy Farms and
3. China’s small and Medium size enterprises!
So that the (poorest )Chinese people learn
- how to have safe sex,
- how to take care of themselves and
- how to pay their USA loans with interest back,
while they have enough money in their pockets!

This will lead to less Abortions(NO Chen Guangcheng Cases) in China and
No USA Deficits(an America and its Alliance Built to Last!)!
WATCH: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUFzeW_kjL8

Advice:
The USA President must Advance freedom for
the benefit of the American people and the international community by
helping to build and sustain a more democratic, secure, and prosperous China
that respond to the needs of their people,
reduce widespread poverty, and
act responsibly within the international system!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdK8j-ScFp0
http://beijing.usembassy-china.org.cn

WATCH HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL on
U.S. Interagency Chinese Trade Enforcement Committee:
http://hbr.org/2007/11/are-your-engineers-talking-to-one-another-when-they-should/ar/1

Greetings,
Jurgen R. Brul

PS. May Our Good Soldiers and Civilians,
who Serve and Protect Their Nation, Rest in Peace!

[mingorajohns]

02:35 PM on 04/30/2012

Romney, being the visionary that he is, does not want China to limit the birth of it's citizens. His view being the more poor people born into China the more slave labor American companies can capitalize off. His Creed: China's gain in bodies is America's gain in profits".
He is not at all concerned with the prolific addition to China's military.

[tuhloola]

12:37 PM on 04/30/2012

That's what Romney says TODAY......what will he say tomorrow ? Stay tuned !

[docsong]

11:52 AM on 04/30/2012

The problem here is if you agree with one point of a persons statment, do you have to agree with everything?

[meanstr]

11:40 AM on 04/30/2012

We borrow Billions from China ,we give them Millions in aide we have opened a large trading market with them which may have created sweat shops so if they are that bad why do we deal with them ,Give them back their criminal or stop dealing wth them if we think that the traitor is right.

[Ramon Noches]

11:35 AM on 04/30/2012

Its very easy for Governor Romney to sit back and watch the evening news about the US Embassy holding a Chinese activist, It is a great opportunity for him to "arm chair the heck " out of every mistake, even the tinest flaw or misstep the Obama Administration might make in resolving this issue.

[supremepuffy]

11:05 AM on 04/30/2012

Sure let's reform China's government, that should be a piece of cake. Romney knows absolutely nothing about this issue but feels confident in issuing a statement full of platitudes. Romney would make China the number one trading partner with the US without restrictions while allowing US corporations to offshore at will. Nothing this man says has any depth, nor should he be taken seriously.

[maciasa201]

11:01 AM on 04/30/2012

It's truly chilling to me to read posters APPLAUDING the Chinese one child policy. What PLANET are you from where you think it is ok for the government to come into your home and FORCE YOU AT THE POINT OF A GUN to get an abortion?

[kwyang]

02:27 PM on 05/01/2012

That's not really how it works. Aside from the inevitable abuses of the system by local officials (which is illegal), the policy is mostly economic in nature. In America you get tax benefits for having more children. In China you get tax penalties, and have to pay extra for the kid's healthcare and education rather than getting free services from the government. That's how it works for 99.999% of people. Of course even a 0.001% violation rate where local officials use violence or forced abortions to make population statistics look favorable is 13,000+ people in a country of 1.3 billion, so it's not a trivial matter, but it's also not the essence of the policy.

[maciasa201]

06:52 PM on 05/01/2012

Can you please provide the source of your data related to the number of Chinese women forced to have abortions against their will? Didn't think so. Further, please explain what happens to a woman that somehow avoids having a forced abortion and has a non-sanctioned child in China and can not pay the fines? Lastly, regardless of all that, it is a truly barbaric society that would do what China does. Human rights are a joke and women, specifically, are treated one notch above animals. I stand by my original post.

[MzHarleywood]

10:20 AM on 04/30/2012

Reform them? Looks to me like we should start copying them..They have taken over the leadership of the world and have purchased enough of the US to annex it....We are in such enormous debt to the Chinese..all they'd have to do is close our "bank" and we'd throw this guy (whoever he is?) out of our embassay right on his as*...
PS-AND what's wrong about limiting the family to one-child??

[tuhloola]

12:39 PM on 04/30/2012

Too bad "Octomom" wasn't limited to only one !!!!!

[musicjcj]

10:16 AM on 04/30/2012

Sending Hillary ! Is that the solution of this administration. ??????????
Will she text him from China ?????
Maybe he will tell another joke about her texting him again .....JOKE JOKE ! Laugh , Laugh Party Party. While this country has a
16 trillion + National debt ! Also high unemployment with many homeless people on the street corners in the cities begging for help !

[nj fl]

10:13 AM on 04/30/2012

Let's face it, with the two other wars coming to an end Mitt knows he has to do something to protect the war related profits of the 1%. It has nothing to do with human rights he could care less about them.
If he was so concerned about basic human rights he wouldn't support the Republican assault on women and the poor.

[musicjcj]

10:42 AM on 04/30/2012

Making up Democrat untruths about the Republicans must keep the liberals very busy all
day long. Oh What false claims will they come up with next ???>>>>> Probably that Republicans assault donkeys>>>> LIberal Democrats. Boo HOO !

[trisha16]

11:52 AM on 04/30/2012

so the GOP didn't pass or try to pass 1100 pieces of bills, federal and state, regarding the healthcare of women? that is all a figment of our imagination.
blunt amendment is made up?
personhood fake?
transvaginal probe, not real at all?

[docsong]

11:54 AM on 04/30/2012

If a donkey is a liberal the GOP would assult it, No doubt.

[sunshineclaimsfl]

09:58 AM on 04/30/2012

Mitt once again shows his arsss here in regards to the one child policy. IMHO its a responsible measure on the part of the Chinese. Population can outgrow economy and agriculture. More countries who will experience this effect will have to limit children as well one day. Besides is it not kind of liberal to be advocating more children when the limiting of children is the more conservative policy for the Chinese?

[rw302361]

09:43 AM on 04/30/2012

Mitt can't understand whats going on in America . yet he acts like he knows China , I wonder if its all those companys he striped and sold to China

[k535panther]

01:14 PM on 04/30/2012

He's just hoping we believe he understands foreign affairs...

[Tea for me]

09:35 AM on 04/30/2012

Well....that just shows he is clueless...one doesn't make such comments right now!
We have worked for years on such issues with China....

He is using a delicate state issue to make "points" on his "international" view...lordy.
Why didn't he at least talk with Huntsman, a man with such vast experience with China.... before coming out on his own at this time??

He doesn't know what our government is doing....and, we know there is much tension right now....and, he knows we have a State Dept. meetings in China this week.

From what I understand, the wife and family of Chen...and many of the dissidents who helped him escape through their "underground railroad"...are under arrest, too.
His comments may be making their situations even more perilous.

It is also reported that even many experienced Republicans are appalled that he came out with this...possibly undermining delicate talks going on....not understanding he may be "hardening" their positions to save face.

Tea...Democrats 2012...local...state...and federal.