U.S. envoy stresses human rights in China farewell speech

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By Michael Martina BEIJING (Reuters) - China's future development will hinge on a neutral judiciary and freedom of speech, U.S. Ambassador Gary Locke said on Wednesday in his final speech as envoy to Beijing that focused heavily on human rights. Locke, who leaves Beijing on Saturday and will be replaced by Senator Max Baucus, said China's leaders should not sacrifice "the long-term rewards of citizen engagement for a short term definition of social stability". "China has a great future ahead of it. Locke's 2-1/2 years as ambassador were partly defined by a diplomatic tussle over blind human rights activist Chen Guangcheng, who escaped from house arrest in 2012 to seek refuge in the embassy and later travelled to New York to study on a U.S.-brokered deal.




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