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A top Chinese official condemned House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) Wednesday, saying a statement made by her urging peaceful demonstrations against the Olympic torch in San Francisco “lacks morals and conscience.” During a press conference, Chinese Foreign Minister Jing Yu said “for some members of the U.S. Congress to set aside the Olympic spirit and the principle that sports should not be politicized, and even to openly encourage interference with and harm to the San Francisco torch relay, completely lacks basic morals and conscience.” Transcripts of the interaction have not yet been translated from Chinese to English, but a spokesman in the Chinese embassy in Washington confirmed the statement. In a statement Tuesday, Pelosi said, “Many will exercise this right by demonstrating against the Olympic torch. I urge all those who protest to do so peacefully and respectfully. I commend those who speak out for their commitment to shining a light on the causes that challenge the conscience of the world.” She acknowledged the importance of the protests, noting “freedom-loving people around the world are vigorously protesting because of the crackdown in Tibet and Beijing’s support for the regime in Sudan and the military junta in Burma. The people are making a significant statement that the Olympic ideals of peace and harmony should apply to all people, including those in Tibet and Darfur.” Pelosi’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Speaker has been an outspoken critic of Chinese policy in Tibet. Last month Pelosi visited the Dalai Lama, and a Pelosi-sponsored resolution calling on China to end its “crackdown” on protesters in Tibet passed the House Wednesday. In a statement regarding the resolution, Yu said members of Congress should “refrain from doing things that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people and undermine bilateral relations.” |
