WASHINGTON — China's heir apparent leader is defending his county's widely criticized human rights record but acknowledging there is room for improvement.
Vice President Xi Jinping (She JIN'-ping) said he had candid discussions on the issue at the White House, where he met Tuesday with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.
Xi told a luncheon at the State Department that China had made "tremendous" achievements on human rights in the past 30 years.
He added: "Of course there's always room for improvement."
He said China was ready to hold a constructive dialogue on human rights with the U.S. and other countries.
Biden said the U.S. has been clear on areas in which it believes conditions in China have deteriorated and the plight of several prominent individuals.