Hong Kong Urged to Set Up Rights Panel

HONG KONG —  The U.N. high commissioner for human rights on Tuesday deplored China’s recent record and urged Hong Kong to set up its own independent human rights monitoring body.

Mary Robinson, who met with several Hong Kong officials, said the situation in mainland China has deteriorated over the past two years.

Robinson, who was scheduled to arrive in Beijing late Tuesday, will attend an Asian-Pacific regional human rights workshop.

Robinson said an independent human rights panel “would be a good confidence-building measure in Hong Kong.” She noted recent cases that sparked concern about the independence of the territory’s judiciary.