Mr. Chairman,
The Chinese Government has
always attached importance to the promotion and protection
of all human rights and fundamental freedoms enjoyed by the
Chinese people. Through decades of unremitting efforts, we
have found a path of promoting and developing human rights,
which fits into the specific circumstances in China and have
registered achievements attracting worldwide attention.
Since the reform and opening-up policy was adopted in China,
we have devoted our endeavours to the development of our
economy and have considerably improved the living standards
of the Chinese people. There were still 250 million
poverty-stricken populations in China in 1978. By the end of
last year, with the exception of a few remote areas, we have
wiped out abject poverty and achieved two historic leaps
from poverty to adequate clothing and food, and then to a
fairly comfortable life.
In the mean time, the
Chinese Government attaches great importance to the
development of democracy and legal system. Great efforts
have been put into the implementation of the fundamental
strategies of “rule the country by law” and
“rule the country by virtue”, so as to
effectively guarantee, in conformity with the law, the
enjoyment of civil and political rights by the Chinese
people.
First, in March 1999, the National
People’s Congress for the first time enshrined the
principle of “rule of law” in the Constitution
of the People’s Republic of China, demonstrating
China’s determination to completely root out the
influence of “rule by man” and pursuing the
strategy of governing the country according to the law.
Since the reform and opening-up, the National People’s
Congress and its Standing Committee have promulgated over
390 laws and decisions on legal issues. The State Council
issued over 800 administrative regulations. The
people’s congresses at various levels have formulated
over 8,000 local laws and regulations. A legal framework
with the Constitution at its core has basically taken shape
in China.
Second, the Chinese
judiciary is endeavouring to deepen the reform of its
judicial system. Measures include improvement of the
qualifications of its personnel, implementation of
transparency policies to a full extent in the work of the
police and procuratorial departments and in court
proceedings and prison administration, strengthening the
mechanism of external supervision and internal redress,
investigation and punishment in a serious manner cases of
corruption, obstruction of justice and bending the law out
of personal consideration and favouritism involving judicial
and law-enforcement officials. We will continue to
strengthen the protection of human rights through legal
means and ensure legal justice, strictly distinguishing what
constitutes an offence from what does
not.
Third, the Chinese Government will press
ahead with reform of the political system, implementing
democratic elections, decision-making, management and
supervision, ensuring standardised governance in accordance
with the law and strict performance of official duties, and
severely punishing corruption in all manifestations.
Fourth, the Chinese Government attaches
importance to the protection of the religious freedom of its
citizens. Five major religions coexist in China with over
100 million believers. The number of believers has increased
considerably in recent years. Taking Tibet as an example,
there are more than 1,700 temples and monasteries with more
than 46,000 professional clergy. The central and local
governments have invested more than 300 million RMB yuan in
the renovation of Tibetan temples and monasteries.
Fifth, the Chinese Government guarantees, in
line with law, the freedom of speech and association. The
Chinese Government encourages the positive role played by
the news media in facilitating the citizens’ enjoyment
of freedom of speech and in exercising supervision and
supports the development of the press and publishing
undertakings. China is among the leading countries in
respect of the development of Internet and its public
access. Chinese law also fully guarantees freedom of
association. To date, the Government has promulgated three
special regulations on the management of social groups and
organisations. The number of social groups above the county
level has exceeded 200,000 all over the country and is still
on an increase. Voices of Chinese NGOs have also been heard
in international forums.
The Chinese Government
has committed itself to international co-operation in the
field of human rights and has engaged in co-operation with
the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Last November, the two sides signed a memorandum of
understanding on technical co-operation in the field of
human rights and last month, jointly held the Seminar on the
Punishment of Minor Crimes in Beijing. On February 28 this
year, the Standing Committee of the National People’s
Congress adopted a decision on the ratification of the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights. Not long ago, the representative of the Chinese
Government signed the Optional Protocol to the Convention on
the Rights of the Child on Involvement of Children in Armed
Conflicts. In addition, the Chinese Government has also
carried out human rights dialogues with dozens of countries,
which have yielded positive results. The above-mentioned
measures taken by the Chinese Government have reflected its
firm conviction and determination to promote and protect
human rights, which have significant and far-reaching
impacts.
The present human rights situation in
China is at its best in all times. Therefore the allegation
that China’s human rights situation is deteriorating
is completely groundless.
Mr.
Chairman,
A new century has dawned, and
exchange and co-operation have become an irreversible trend
of our time in the international field of human rights.
Regrettably, however, the United States, out
of its own selfish interests and domestic political
considerations, insists on tabling again an anti-China draft
resolution at this session of the Commission, poses
groundless allegations against China and provokes
confrontation. This is an act contrary to the overwhelming
trend of the new century and a total ingorance of the
tremendous achievements of the Chinese Government in
promoting and protecting human rights and China’s
sincerity about engaging in international human rights
co-operation,
The United States has always
indulged in tabling country specific resolutions against
others. This is out of, instead of genuine concern about
human rights, its ill intention under the pretext of
“protecting human rights”, to blatantly accuse
the political systems of other countries and politicise the
issue of human rights, in an attempt to exert political
pressures upon other countries.
It is well
known that there are gross violations of human rights in the
United States. The United States is notorious with its
recurrent and incurable racial and gender discrimination,
the ever-widening divide between the rich and the poor,
police violence, guns abuse and judicial injustice.
What’s more, the United States has always been
reluctant towards international human rights instruments. It
still refuses to ratify the international human rights
instruments widely accepted by the international community,
among others, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and
the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women. The United States was also the
only western country that voted against the Declaration on
the Right to Development. Facts speak louder than words.
While launching a loud human rights crusade against other
countries in the world, the United States is turning a blind
eye to its own serious human rights violations. This only
serves to prove the U.S. hypocrisy in its so-called concern
for human rights.
The U.S. Government has
adopted double standards on the question of dealing with
evil cults. The United States has levelled irresponsible
criticism against the handling of “Falun Gong”
cult in line with law by the Chinese Government, wantonly
interfering in China’s internal affairs. Numerous
facts prove that “Falun Gong” deprives lives of
innocent people and endangers social stability. “Falun
Gong”, like the “Davidians” of the United
States, is in every sense an evil cult. The Chinese
Government has banned “Falun Gong” in
consistence with law, persuading and educating the majority
of the practitioners, helping them come back to their senses
and return to normal life. This not only has protected the
fundamental human rights of the Chinese citizens, but is
also a great contribution to the international human rights
causes. While the U.S. Government mobilised armed forces,
including the use of tanks and helicopters to crack down the
“Davidians”, it makes irresponsible remarks and
confounding black and white with respect to the banning of
“Falun Gong” cult by the Chinese Government in
consistence with law. The United States Government has gone
as far as providing refuge and support to a evil cult by
allowing “Falun Gong” to establish its
headquarters in the United States. This is an approach of
pure double standards. If it were not politicising the issue
and provoking confrontation, then what logic the United
States is following?
To be in a nutshell, the
U.S. concern for human rights is a sham, what it really
practices is power politics. The U.S. advocacy for humanity
is a fake, what it really pursues is hegemonism. The abuse
of country specific resolutions by the U.S. constitutes
interference in the internal affairs of other countries,
runs counter to the spirit of the UN Charter and the
purposes of the Commission, and is doomed to
fail.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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