BEIJING, Jan 15 (Reuters) - China hit back on Tuesday at criticism from the United States about the arrest of a prominent Chinese dissident, saying he was a suspected criminal and would be dealt with by the law.

Rights groups have condemned the arrest of activist Hu Jia last month on charges of inciting to subvert the government. On Monday, the U.S. State Department said Hu's detention was "disturbing", adding Washington had raised his case with Beijing.

But Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu repeated the government's standard line that China is a country ruled by laws that everyone must abide by.

"I have already answered this question at many news conferences. China is a country ruled by laws. Everyone must respect the law. Nobody is above the law," she told a news conference.

"Hu Jia is being investigated in accordance with the law by the Beijing public security authorities on suspicion of breaking the law," she added. "I believe that related authorities will deal with that case in accordance with the law."

Police in China have also prevented Hu's wife, fellow activist Zeng Jinyan, their newborn baby and Zeng's elderly mother from leaving the couple's Beijing home.

Hu first came to prominence over his advocacy for AIDS sufferers in rural China.

China has come under growing pressure about its rights record as Beijing gears up to host the 2008 Olympic Games.

Jiang again warned against attempts to "politicise" the Games by tying it in with human rights issues.

"No country is spotless when it comes to human rights. No one country has the qualification to make unwarranted remarks about the human rights situation in another," she said. "Chinese people know best about China's human rights situation." (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Alex Richardson)

AlertNet news is provided by