China Issues White Paper on Human Rights (04/09/2001)
2004-03-09 11:42
The Information Office of the State Council issued
Monday a white paper on
human rights, elaborating the achievements China scored in
its human rights cause during the past year.
The white paper, entitled "Progress in China's Human Rights
Cause in 2000", says that the year 2000 marked a milestone in
China's march to modernization, as the country witnessed both
sound economic performance and continued advance in its human
rights cause.
In 2000, implementation of the Ninth-Five -Year Plan for National Economic
and Social Development was successfully completed, the development of the western
region got off to a good start, the economy developed in a healthy way,
democracy and the legal system were continuously strengthened,
and the human rights situation maintained a good momentum of
development.
The white paper says that the Chinese government continued to
improve people's access to subsistence and development by
developing the economy and enhancing the comprehensive national
strength.
China rid itself completely of the influence of the Asian
financial crisis in 2000 as its national economy growth rate
apparently increased. The gross domestic product (GDP) of China
surpassed 1000 billion U.S. dollars for the first time, reaching 8,
940.4 billion yuan. The GDP per capita exceeded 800 U.S. dollars,
a symbol of realizing the second-step strategic goal set for China's
modernization drive.
The white paper notes that the income of urban and rural
residents has gone up steadily, and their standards of living have
continued to improve. People across the country as a whole are
living a relatively well-off life.
The Engel's coefficient, indicating the proportion of food
expenditure in the total consumption expenditures, was about 40
percent for urban residents and about 50 percent for rural
residents last year, down nearly 10 percentage points and 8
percentage points respectively over those of 1995. The decrease
shows that the life quality of people is further upgraded.
While improving the people's living standards across the board,
the Chinese government has attached great importance to ensuring
that people from poverty-stricken areas have enough to eat and
wear, says the white paper.
A systematic and large-scale poverty elimination drive
initiated by the Chinese government has been going on since China
started reform and opening up to the outside world in the late 1970s.
The rate of those in poverty among rural people has dropped to
around 3 percent from 30.7 percent in 1978, forming a sharp
contrast with the increase of absolutely poverty-stricken population in the rest of the
world.
The United Nations Development Program holds
that China's aid-the-poor efforts in a development-oriented way
have provided a model for other developing countries, and even
for the whole world.
On the guarantee of citizens' political rights, the white paper
notes that the system of people's congress is a fundamental
political system in China, in which all power in China belongs to
the people and the people exercise State power through the
National People's Congress (NPC) and the local people's congresses.
At the Fourth Session of the Ninth NPC held in March, 2001, the
deputies put forward 1,040 proposals, a record high since 1983
when the first session of the Sixth NPC was convened.
The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC),
the top advisory body of the Chinese government, actively
participated in the deliberation and administration of State
affairs in 2000. The CPPCC National Committee submitted more than
10 reports to the decision-makers on mapping out the Tenth Five-
Year Plan (2001-2005). It also raised many opinions and
suggestions, which served as important reference, on issues such
as speeding up the project of diverting water from the south to
the north, perfecting the social security system, and further
reform of the judicial system.
The white paper says that building democratic politics at the
grassroots level in rural China has been promoted in an all-round
way and developed steadily.
The villagers' committees in 27 provinces, autonomous regions,
and municipalities have been re-elected since the revised Organic
Law of the Villagers' Committees was enforced in 1998. About 600
million farmers took part in the direct election of their village
heads, accounting for a vote rate of more than 80 percent.
Meanwhile remarkable progress has been made in the building of
democratic politics at the township level. The practice of making
public the township political affairs has been promoted nationwide.
About 35,000 townships, or over 80 percent of the total townships
in China, have made public their political affairs.
On judicial guarantee for human rights, the white paper notes
that China pays much attention to safeguarding human rights
through perfecting legislation, ensuring an impartial judicature
and strictly enforcing the law.
It says in 2000, the public security and judicial organs
cracked down on gang-related crimes and crimes involving guns and
explosives. They also punished, according to law, a handful of
criminals who caused deaths or gathered people to upset the public
order by organizing and using the "Falun Gong" cult, effectively
safeguarding social stability and people's lives and property.
The Supreme People's Court formulated in July 2000 the
Regulations on Providing Judicial Assistance for Litigants
Actually in Financial Difficulty, in an effort to guarantee that
poor people can exercise their legal litigation rights.
Litigants of more than 190,000 cases across country therefore
were allowed to have their payment of itigation costs postponed,
reduced or remitted.
The Chinese government made more efforts in 2000 to further
protect the economic, social and cultural rights of citizens.
According to statistics, employees in China totaled more than
710 million by the end of 2000, an increase of 5.64 million over
the previous year. China has basically established a social
security system, mainly covering basic pension insurance, basic
medical insurance and unemployment insurance for workers in cities
and towns.
China has virtually made nine-year compulsory
education universal across the country, and eliminated
illiteracy among people who were born since 1949.
The number of Internet users in China has skyrocketed to more
than 22.5 million from 10,000 in 1994, when China joined the
Internet network.
The white paper says that the number of women
employed has grown continuously, women's education level has
risen further and women's health improved, too.
In order to curb domestic violence, bigamy and taking
concubines, perfect family property system and
protect women's rights in marriage and the family, the NPC
encouraged people of all walks of life to do research for a revision
of the Marriage Law, and publicized the draft amendments in
January, 2001 for public discussions.
Chinese children's rights are effectively protected as well.
The child mortality rate dropped by one third and the rate of
malnutrition among children fell by 50 percent over the 1990
figures.
A program for the safe and healthy development of Chinese
children was launched in October, 2000, aimed at forging a healthy
social climate for children, helping them stay away from dropout,
disease, injury and crime.
The white paper notes that in China, ethnic minorities enjoy
not only all citizens' rights entitled by the Constitution and
laws as the Han people do, but also some special rights stipulated
by laws for ethnic minorities.
The Standing Committee of the Ninth NPC made amendments to the
Law Governing Regional Ethnic Autonomy in February, 2001,
upgrading the system of regional ethnic autonomy as part of the
basic political system of China. The white paper says that the
decision further strengthened the legal guarantee of autonomy in
the autonomous areas.
While implementing the system of regional ethnic autonomy, the
central government assists the economic and social development of
these areas by providing funds, technology, and professionals. The
white paper notes that the GDP of the autonomous regions increased
by 8.1 percent in 2000, surpassing that of the national average
for the fourth consecutive year.
Besides, the State made effective efforts in supporting ethnic
minority areas in developing education, ensuring the ethnic
minorities can use and develop their own languages, respecting and
protecting their religious beliefs, traditional customs and
cultures.
The campaign of developing the west where
ethnic minorities are concentrated will forcefully promote economic
and social development in these areas and the full
realization of the equal rights of ethnic minorities.
The white paper says that the Chinese government always
respects the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United
Nations for promoting and protecting human rights, supports the UN
efforts in this regard and actively participates in the UN activities in the realm
of human rights.
The Ninth NPC Standing Committee ratified the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in February, 2001.
The white paper says this fully demonstrates the Chinese
government's positive attitude toward carrying out international
cooperation in human rights as well as China's firm determination
and confidence in promoting and protecting human rights.
The white paper notes in the end that the progress of human
rights is an important aspect of the social development of all
countries. It is a historical process of continuous advance.
In the light of China's national conditions and according to
people's wishes, and with the aim of building a democratic,
modernized country with advanced culture and under the rule of law,
the Chinese government will accelerate development and
continuously push forward the development of human rights cause in
China while maintaining social stability.
The 14,000-word white paper consists of seven parts, namely,
the improvement of the people's rights to subsistence and
development; the guarantee of citizens' political rights; judicial
guarantee for human rights; the economic, social and cultural
rights of citizens; protection of women and children's rights;
equal rights and special protection for ethnic minorities; and
actively carrying out international exchanges and cooperation in
the realm of human rights.
human rights, elaborating the achievements China scored in
its human rights cause during the past year.
The white paper, entitled "Progress in China's Human Rights
Cause in 2000", says that the year 2000 marked a milestone in
China's march to modernization, as the country witnessed both
sound economic performance and continued advance in its human
rights cause.
In 2000, implementation of the Ninth-Five -Year Plan for National Economic
and Social Development was successfully completed, the development of the western
region got off to a good start, the economy developed in a healthy way,
democracy and the legal system were continuously strengthened,
and the human rights situation maintained a good momentum of
development.
The white paper says that the Chinese government continued to
improve people's access to subsistence and development by
developing the economy and enhancing the comprehensive national
strength.
China rid itself completely of the influence of the Asian
financial crisis in 2000 as its national economy growth rate
apparently increased. The gross domestic product (GDP) of China
surpassed 1000 billion U.S. dollars for the first time, reaching 8,
940.4 billion yuan. The GDP per capita exceeded 800 U.S. dollars,
a symbol of realizing the second-step strategic goal set for China's
modernization drive.
The white paper notes that the income of urban and rural
residents has gone up steadily, and their standards of living have
continued to improve. People across the country as a whole are
living a relatively well-off life.
The Engel's coefficient, indicating the proportion of food
expenditure in the total consumption expenditures, was about 40
percent for urban residents and about 50 percent for rural
residents last year, down nearly 10 percentage points and 8
percentage points respectively over those of 1995. The decrease
shows that the life quality of people is further upgraded.
While improving the people's living standards across the board,
the Chinese government has attached great importance to ensuring
that people from poverty-stricken areas have enough to eat and
wear, says the white paper.
A systematic and large-scale poverty elimination drive
initiated by the Chinese government has been going on since China
started reform and opening up to the outside world in the late 1970s.
The rate of those in poverty among rural people has dropped to
around 3 percent from 30.7 percent in 1978, forming a sharp
contrast with the increase of absolutely poverty-stricken population in the rest of the
world.
The United Nations Development Program holds
that China's aid-the-poor efforts in a development-oriented way
have provided a model for other developing countries, and even
for the whole world.
On the guarantee of citizens' political rights, the white paper
notes that the system of people's congress is a fundamental
political system in China, in which all power in China belongs to
the people and the people exercise State power through the
National People's Congress (NPC) and the local people's congresses.
At the Fourth Session of the Ninth NPC held in March, 2001, the
deputies put forward 1,040 proposals, a record high since 1983
when the first session of the Sixth NPC was convened.
The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC),
the top advisory body of the Chinese government, actively
participated in the deliberation and administration of State
affairs in 2000. The CPPCC National Committee submitted more than
10 reports to the decision-makers on mapping out the Tenth Five-
Year Plan (2001-2005). It also raised many opinions and
suggestions, which served as important reference, on issues such
as speeding up the project of diverting water from the south to
the north, perfecting the social security system, and further
reform of the judicial system.
The white paper says that building democratic politics at the
grassroots level in rural China has been promoted in an all-round
way and developed steadily.
The villagers' committees in 27 provinces, autonomous regions,
and municipalities have been re-elected since the revised Organic
Law of the Villagers' Committees was enforced in 1998. About 600
million farmers took part in the direct election of their village
heads, accounting for a vote rate of more than 80 percent.
Meanwhile remarkable progress has been made in the building of
democratic politics at the township level. The practice of making
public the township political affairs has been promoted nationwide.
About 35,000 townships, or over 80 percent of the total townships
in China, have made public their political affairs.
On judicial guarantee for human rights, the white paper notes
that China pays much attention to safeguarding human rights
through perfecting legislation, ensuring an impartial judicature
and strictly enforcing the law.
It says in 2000, the public security and judicial organs
cracked down on gang-related crimes and crimes involving guns and
explosives. They also punished, according to law, a handful of
criminals who caused deaths or gathered people to upset the public
order by organizing and using the "Falun Gong" cult, effectively
safeguarding social stability and people's lives and property.
The Supreme People's Court formulated in July 2000 the
Regulations on Providing Judicial Assistance for Litigants
Actually in Financial Difficulty, in an effort to guarantee that
poor people can exercise their legal litigation rights.
Litigants of more than 190,000 cases across country therefore
were allowed to have their payment of itigation costs postponed,
reduced or remitted.
The Chinese government made more efforts in 2000 to further
protect the economic, social and cultural rights of citizens.
According to statistics, employees in China totaled more than
710 million by the end of 2000, an increase of 5.64 million over
the previous year. China has basically established a social
security system, mainly covering basic pension insurance, basic
medical insurance and unemployment insurance for workers in cities
and towns.
China has virtually made nine-year compulsory
education universal across the country, and eliminated
illiteracy among people who were born since 1949.
The number of Internet users in China has skyrocketed to more
than 22.5 million from 10,000 in 1994, when China joined the
Internet network.
The white paper says that the number of women
employed has grown continuously, women's education level has
risen further and women's health improved, too.
In order to curb domestic violence, bigamy and taking
concubines, perfect family property system and
protect women's rights in marriage and the family, the NPC
encouraged people of all walks of life to do research for a revision
of the Marriage Law, and publicized the draft amendments in
January, 2001 for public discussions.
Chinese children's rights are effectively protected as well.
The child mortality rate dropped by one third and the rate of
malnutrition among children fell by 50 percent over the 1990
figures.
A program for the safe and healthy development of Chinese
children was launched in October, 2000, aimed at forging a healthy
social climate for children, helping them stay away from dropout,
disease, injury and crime.
The white paper notes that in China, ethnic minorities enjoy
not only all citizens' rights entitled by the Constitution and
laws as the Han people do, but also some special rights stipulated
by laws for ethnic minorities.
The Standing Committee of the Ninth NPC made amendments to the
Law Governing Regional Ethnic Autonomy in February, 2001,
upgrading the system of regional ethnic autonomy as part of the
basic political system of China. The white paper says that the
decision further strengthened the legal guarantee of autonomy in
the autonomous areas.
While implementing the system of regional ethnic autonomy, the
central government assists the economic and social development of
these areas by providing funds, technology, and professionals. The
white paper notes that the GDP of the autonomous regions increased
by 8.1 percent in 2000, surpassing that of the national average
for the fourth consecutive year.
Besides, the State made effective efforts in supporting ethnic
minority areas in developing education, ensuring the ethnic
minorities can use and develop their own languages, respecting and
protecting their religious beliefs, traditional customs and
cultures.
The campaign of developing the west where
ethnic minorities are concentrated will forcefully promote economic
and social development in these areas and the full
realization of the equal rights of ethnic minorities.
The white paper says that the Chinese government always
respects the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United
Nations for promoting and protecting human rights, supports the UN
efforts in this regard and actively participates in the UN activities in the realm
of human rights.
The Ninth NPC Standing Committee ratified the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in February, 2001.
The white paper says this fully demonstrates the Chinese
government's positive attitude toward carrying out international
cooperation in human rights as well as China's firm determination
and confidence in promoting and protecting human rights.
The white paper notes in the end that the progress of human
rights is an important aspect of the social development of all
countries. It is a historical process of continuous advance.
In the light of China's national conditions and according to
people's wishes, and with the aim of building a democratic,
modernized country with advanced culture and under the rule of law,
the Chinese government will accelerate development and
continuously push forward the development of human rights cause in
China while maintaining social stability.
The 14,000-word white paper consists of seven parts, namely,
the improvement of the people's rights to subsistence and
development; the guarantee of citizens' political rights; judicial
guarantee for human rights; the economic, social and cultural
rights of citizens; protection of women and children's rights;
equal rights and special protection for ethnic minorities; and
actively carrying out international exchanges and cooperation in
the realm of human rights.