DANISH Energy and Environment Minister Svend Auken, in Beijing to increase environmental co-operation, yesterday raised European concerns over China's human rights record.
During five hours of talks with Environmental Protection Agency head Xie Zhenhua, Mr Auken raised concerns over human rights and the implications of China's one-child policy.
Mr Auken said the discussions were 'productive, friendly and fraternal'.
'I find you can discuss anything in China if you adopt the right approach,' he said, adding that he would not feel comfortable adopting the more strident approach of many United States politicians.
Mr Auken said his counterpart was willing to discuss human rights, and even the corruption problems facing China.
Mr Xie explained that China's perspective on human rights was different from that of Western industrialised nations, concentrating as it did on the need to feed 1.2 billion people and develop the poorer, poverty stricken areas of western China.
