[JURIST] A Chinese official has dismissed a new US report on the state of Chinese human rights, calling it incorrect and groundless [official statement]. Findings in the US Department of State's 2008 Advancing Freedom and Democracy Reports [text], released late last month, accuse the Chinese government of denying its citizens basic human rights and also describe the need for judicial reform and improved governmental transparency. Special mention was made of the recent violence in Tibet, which had its origins in peaceful protests put down by security forces. Chinese Foreign Ministry [official website] spokesman Qin Gang insisted Sunday that China has made many improvements, and chastised the US:

We urge the US to pay more attention to its own human rights issues, stop using democracy and human rights issues to interfere in other countries' internal affairs and do more to enhance the mutual trust between China and the US and the development of bilateral relations.