Chinese President Xi Jinping will be in the United States this week to meet with President Trump, but will not attend the UN meetings in New York, which some experts say is an attempt to avoid diplomatic pressure over human rights issues. CERL Affiliated Faculty Member Mary Ellen O’Connell notes that China may want to avoid discussing issues such as religious persecution and its support for Russia, but argues that the diplomatic visit is still an opportunity for U.S. leaders to push China on human rights issues that matter to Americans.

Mary Ellen O’Connell is the Robert and Marion Short Professor of Law and Research Professor of International Dispute Resolution—Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame. Read her bio here.  

The views expressed here are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of any organization or university.