BEIJING?— China respects and upholds human rights, and China's Constitution has comprehensive stipulations on the fundamental rights and freedoms of the citizens, says a white paper titled "The Socialist System of Laws with Chinese Characteristics" issued on Thursday.

The state has promulgated a series of laws and regulations and has developed a comparatively complete legal system to protect human rights, according to the white paper issued by the Information Office of the State Council.

The state ensures the citizens' right to subsistence and development, personal rights and property rights, freedom of religious belief, of speech, of the press, of the assembly, of association, of procession and of demonstration, the right to social security and education, as well as other economic, political, social and cultural rights, the white paper says.

The Constitution stipulates that Chinese citizens enjoy the freedom of religious belief. No state organ, public organization or individual may compel citizens to believe in, or not to believe in, any religion; nor may they discriminate against citizens who believe in, or do not believe in, any religion, it says.

The State Council has also promulgated the Regulations on Religious Affairs.

Currently China has a total of more than 100 million believers in various religions, and the state fully protects its citizens' freedom of religious belief, it says.

The Constitution also provides that citizens who have suffered losses as a result of infringement of their civic rights by any state organ or functionary have the right to compensation in accordance with the provisions of the law.