Published by: World Tibet Network News, Sunday March 10th 1996

By SID BALMAN Jr. - UPI Diplomatic Writer

WASHINGTON, March 6 (UPI) -- The United States criticized Beijing in its annual human rights report Wednesday, claiming that economic liberalization without political reform has worsened rather than improved the plight of Chinese citizens.

The United States has been pressing China for years to engage in a Russian-style reform of its economy and political system. But Washington lost any ability to influence Beijing's treatment of its citizens after severing the link between human rights practices and preferential tradin terms with little or no justification.

"Overall, in 1995 the authorities stepped up repression of dissent," the report said. "By year's end, almost all public dissent against the central authorities was silenced by intimidation, exile or imposition of prison terms."

Despite the dour assessment, the report credited Beijing with some improvement in the treatment of its citizens. The State Department report said "positive developments" could be seen in China's hosting of an international women's conference, although attempts were made to stifle free speech, and in efforts to reform its legal system.