UN’s Ban tells China civil society, free media are crucial
BEIJING — U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told China’s leaders on Thursday that a flourishing civil society and free media are key to China’s development, on one of his last visits to Beijing as U.N. leader.
Ban spoke while standing next to Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who last month berated a Canadian journalist for asking a question about China’s human rights record during a news conference in Canada.
“As China continues along the path of transformation and reform, I encourage China’s leaders to create the space needed for the civil society to play its crucial role,” Ban said, as Wang looked down at his lectern or stared ahead, expressionless.
Ban added that environmental activists, human rights lawyers and defenders and others “can act as a catalyst for social progress and economic goals.”