US and China to Hold Human Rights Talks

Articles on Reuters and CNN both reported today that US and China will be holding a human rights talk on April 27 and 28.

"Discussions will focus on human rights developments, including the recent negative trend of forced disappearances, extralegal detention, and arrests and convictions, as well as rule of law, freedom of religion, freedom of expression, labor rights, minority rights and other human rights issues of concern," the State Department said in a statement. -Reuters

This is a step in the right direction, given the recent tensions between the US and China that have arisen as a result of China's crackdown on dissent.

These two articles reported on the same thing but left me feeling completely differently on the topic. The Reuters article does a great job of providing background on the issue while at the same time expressing hope and anticipation for the outcomes of the talk. The CNN article, on the other hand, is extremely short and to the point, only mentioning that "the meetings follow a crackdown on Chinese dissidents in recent months." Despite the fact that this news means progress on the human rights issue, the article maintains an extremely negative tone. These differences highlight the power of framing and confirm the importance of fair and comprehensive coverage.

-Annie-