China Slams US Comments on Tibet

A Chinese Foreign Ministry official responded angrily to a US diplomat's comments about human rights in Tibet, calling them "disgusting" and filing a diplomatic protest in Washington, reports Reuters. The spokesman said the problem of self-immolating protesters had nothing to do with human rights and was only "anti-Chinese splittist conduct," adding that the US official's comments amounted to interfering with internal Chinese affairs. "It is totally confusing black with white and right with wrong," he said.

With the number of Tibetans setting themselves on fire to protest Chinese rule reaching 92 since 2009—including 28 in November alone—the United States Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues on Wednesday blamed tough Chinese policies for the rising number. But the Foreign Ministry official responded that Tibet had unprecedented freedom under Chinese rule. "It is sending a serious wrong message to Tibetan splittist forces and is utterly disgusting," said the spokesman. (More Tibet stories.)