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CHINA lodged a formal protest with Washington yesterday after US Vice-President Joe Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry called for the release of five detained women.
The women were arrested on the weekend of March 8, International Women’s Day, when they had planned to demonstrate against sexual harassment.
Mr Biden tweeted on Saturday that China should release them, saying: “We urge Chinese leaders to respect women’s rights.”
Mr Kerry said on Friday that the US backed the women and “the authorities should support them, not silence them.”
China has lodged representations with the US over the comments, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said.
“We urge the US to respect our judicial sovereignty and not use pretexts to interfere in China’s internal affairs,” he said.
“China will handle the case in accordance with the law.”
A lawyer for the women announced later that three of the five were being freed on bail.
