China issues 9th human rights white paper

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The Chinese government has released a white paper on human rights in the country in 2009. The report highlights the role of Internet freedom and the country's efforts in safeguarding citizens' legitimate civil and political rights. The white paper is China's 9th report on human rights since the country began releasing the document in 1991.

China's economy developed steadily and relatively rapidly, and people's rights to subsistence and development improved considerably.

>>Full Text: Progress in China's Human Rights in 2009

In 2009, to overcome the impact of the international financial crisis, the Chinese government invested 4,000 billion yuan in the improvement of the people's livelihood, and economic growth.

The country's GDP in the year exceeded 3.4 trillion yuan, an increase of 9.1 percent over the previous year.
The number of impoverished people in rural China decreased to 35.971 million, or 3.8 percent of the rural population.

The nation adheres to political development with Chinese characteristics.

From January 2009 to March 2010 the NPC and its Standing Committee examined 25 laws and drafts concerning laws, and adopted 18 of them.

Elections for new villagers' committees in 12 provinces and elections for new neighborhood committees in 16 provinces took place.

With their right to freedom of speech on the Internet protected by the law, Chinese citizens can voice their opinions in a wide variety of ways on the Internet.

China also took a further step in improving its judicial system to strengthen the protection of human rights in law enforcement and judicial practices.

China's procuratorial organs approved the arrest of over 941 thousand suspects in criminal cases and instituted legal proceedings against over one million people.

Judicial transparency has increased. 795 staff members of people's courts at all levels were investigated and punished for breaches of law or discipline.

The Chinese government undertook the protection of the people's economic, social and cultural rights as a major task.

China appropriated 42 billion yuan for the increase of job opportunities, a rise of 66.7 percent over the previous year.

11.02 million new job opportunities were created and 5.14 million laid-off workers were re-employed in urban areas of China.

The overall population coverage rates of radio and TV broadcasting were 96.3 percent and 97.2 percent, respectively.

Like citizens of the Han nationality, ethnic groups equally enjoy all the rights accorded to Chinese citizens by the Constitution and laws. Moreover, they also enjoy some special rights under minorities' laws.

China invested 1.24 billion yuan for the socio-economic development of the areas inhabited by ethnic-minority people.

98% of 699 counties in ethnic autonomous areas realized nine-year compulsory education. The other 13 counties have plans to reach these goals in 2010.

The legal and policy guarantees for the rights and interests of disabled people have been enhanced.

Some 6.2 million people with disabilities were rehabilitated to different degrees, and the government provided 1.122 million items of assistance equipment for people with disabilities.

China continues to support and actively participate in activities in the field of human rights, sponsored by the United Nations.

The Chinese government sent a delegation to attend the meeting of a working group to establish an optional protocol for a complaint mechanism of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. China actively recommended its experts to participate in the work of organizations supporting human rights treaties.

Studio interview: Development of China's human rights
For more insight on China's white paper on human rights, we are now joined by our current affairs commentator, Professor Tao Wenzhao in our studio. Full Story>>

Editor:Zhang Ning |Source: CNTV

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