China hits back at Hillary Clinton in women's rights row

US presidential hopeful called President Xi ‘shameless’ for promoting women’s rights at UN while persecuting activists at home

China has hit back at US presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton after she called President Xi Jinping “shameless” for hosting a meeting on women’s rights at the UN while continuing to persecute activists at home.

A strongly worded editorial in the fiercely nationalistic, state-run newspaper Global Times likened Clinton to Donald Trump, a “demagogue” whose popularity is based on his “big mouth”.

“It seems that Hillary, eager to keep a competitive edge in the game, has also resorted to these ignominious shenanigans,” the editorial said, calling her a rabble-rouser who has thrown away her decency and reputation in order to gain a leg up in the election.

In his first visit to the UN general assembly in New York, Xi pressed for the world to step up efforts to improve women’s rights, despite his own country’s detention of feminists and activists.

The special session was organised to mark 20 years since a landmark UN conference on women in Beijing at which Clinton, then the first lady, had given an influential speech promoting women’s rights as a fundamental universal right.

Clinton, who is campaigning to become the first female president of the US, on Sunday condemned the Chinese president and voiced support for the #FreeThe20 campaign, whose aim is to release 20 female activists around the world.

“The US presidential election has resulted in an increasing number of ill consequences when democracy spins out of control,” the editorial said. “Policies, guidelines and public interests will have to make room for political chicanery that can incite the voters, by whose support the candidates can succeed to the throne. China-bashing has become an effective way for them to win more votes.”

The FreeThe20 campaign spotlights 20 female political prisoners, including Chinese activist lawyer Wang Yu, who was detained in July.

Yu had defended five young women who were jailed in March as they prepared to campaign against sexual harassment on public transport. The women were held for a month and are still regarded as criminal suspects by Chinese authorities. Police restrictions on their movements will remain in place until next year .