BBC News, Beijing
18 March 2010
By Damian Grammaticas

Gao Zhisheng ( file photo)
China’s spokesman said he would not discuss missing lawyer Gao Zhisheng

China has accused Britain of putting on a political show after a UK review of human rights around the world was highly critical of Beijing.

The report, issued on Wednesday, named China as one of some 20 nations where there was cause for serious concern about human rights.

Burma, Zimbabwe and North Korea were also named as countries of concern.

The report said there had been a marked deterioration in some areas of human rights in China.

China’s response was blunt. Foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said the fact that all the nations singled out were developing countries showed the report was “simply a political show”.     more …