China's Attempt to Shield North Korea from Human Rights Accusations Condemned by US and West

The US has accused China of trying to hide North Korea's human rights abuses from the world by blocking the webcast of an informal meeting of United Nations Security Council members on the issue. China and Russia argue that the Security Council should not discuss human rights issues, saying such meetings should be confined to other UN bodies. All 15 council members have to agree to allow such informal discussions to be webcast by the United Nations, and diplomats said it was rare for a broadcast to be blocked.