Watch CBS News

Mitt Romney: China should make "real effort" to end abuses against dissident Chen Guangcheng

(CBS News) Mitt Romney weighed in Tuesday on the formerly imprisoned Chinese dissident now possibly under American protection in Beijing, saying in an interview on "CBS This Morning" that President Obama should push the Chinese government to make "a real effort" to end abuses against the dissident and his family.

Special Section: Election 2012
U.S., China still mum on fate of escaped activist
Romney: Disappointed in Obama's jabs on bin Laden

Blind activist Chen Guangcheng is believed to be under the protection of U.S. diplomats in China after he escaped from house arrest late last week. His fate will likely dominate a previously planned visit to China by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is expected to arrive Wednesday. During a press conference Monday, Mr. Obama wouldn't comment on the situation.

Romney, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, told Erica Hill and Charlie Rose that the president should make sure China's leaders know that any mistreatment against Chen stands against American values.

"He should speak one on one with the key leadership in China and make sure they understand that we're entirely committed to the principle of human rights, that we do oppose the one-child policy, which Mr. Chen has been opposing for some time," said the former Massachusetts governor, "that based upon the comments that have been made by Mr. Chen that there should be a real effort taken by the part of, on the part of the Chinese government to make sure that the abuses that have been described against Mr. Chen's wife and his family stop immediately, that the family is given protection from authorities that have apparently been abusing their civil and human rights, and we should make it very clear that this is an important priority for the United States of America and for the people of the world."

Above, watch Mitt Romney talk about China and President Obama and what Ann Romney sees in her husband

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.