rights in china continue to deteriorate according to michael posner. he briefed reporters at the state market after a -- at the state department after the annual u.s.-china dialogue. this is about 20 minutes. >> good afternoon, everybody. thank you for joining us. as you know, we have a special briefing today by assistant secretary of state michael posner to talk about are just completed annual dialogue with china on human rights. without further ado. >> thanks, tori. before i begin, i want to say how much we welcome the appointment of by the european union of a new position, a special representative for human rights, and we welcome the first appointee, stavros lambrinidis. we have a long record of working with the european union on issues of human rights, and the creation of this position strengthens their commitment and we look forward to working with him. i want to make a short statement and then i'm glad to answer questions. on monday and tuesday of this week, we hosted our annual human rights dialogue with the chinese government. i was pleased to

as you know, we have a special briefing today by michael posner to talk about are just-completed annual dialogue with china on a human rights. without further ado. >> before i begin, i want to say how much we are welcome -- how much we welcome the appointment by the european union of a new position of special representative for human rights. we welcome the first appointee. he has a long record of working with the european union on of human rights, and the creation of this position strengthens that commission -- commitment. we look forward to working with him. i want to make a short statement and then i'd be glad to answer questions. on monday and tuesday, we hosted our annual human rights dialogue with the chinese government. i was pleased to lead the u.s. delegation at these meetings for the third time. our delegation included representatives from the department of justice,usaid, the department of labor, national security staff, and the department of state. my counterpart is the director general for international organizations in the chinese foreign ministry. he led a chinese delegatio

i want to acknowledge two people, michael posner, the assistant secretary of state, someone with whom i have had just a great privilege and honor and of working with so quickly with over the last several years, and suzanne johnson cook, the u.s. ambassador at large for u.s. religious freedom, someone i have also had the privilege of working with in the state department and in one of my previous incarnations as a senator from new york. others, two of my top advisers on this issue, i am grateful for their efforts, and all the representatives from congress, and the seas, members of the religion and foreign policy working group and others who recognize and are committed to the importance of this issue and what it represents. earlier today, the state department released its latest international religious freedom report. it opens with the words that guide our work and the work of governments and individuals devoted to freedom of religion around the world. listen to those words, because much of what i will say today is of course bring it in our constitution, and in our belief about the impor

michael roseman, assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights, -- michael posner. someone i have worked closely with. and suzanne johnson quote, ambassador at large for international religious freedom, so when i also had not only the privilege of working with in the state department but in one of my previous incarnations as a senator from new york. curtis and bill, one of my top advisers on civil society on this issue. i am grateful for their efforts. and all the representatives, from congress and embassies, members of the religion and foreign-policy working group and others to recognize and are committed to the importance of this issue and what it represents. earlier today, the state department released its latest international religious freedom report. the speaker pro tempore: the house will be in order. the chair lays before the house a communication from the speaker. the clerk: the speeblinger's rooms, washington, d.c., july 30, 2012. i hereby appoint the honorable adrian smith to act as speaker pro tempore on this day. signed, john a. boehner, speaker of the h