Nation makes impressive advances in human rights

China has accelerated the construction of a socialist nation under the rule of law. The Chinese government has shifted from a policy-oriented administration to a law-oriented administration, as the rule of law has become a fundamental part of social politics. China has enacted 236 laws, which are effective currently, more than 690 administrative regulations, and more than 8,600 local laws, and set up a multiple-layered, all-round legal system. A legal system with Chinese characteristics is already accomplished.

China's judicial system has gradually improved and matured. Further to this, a judicial trial system, a procuratorial system, a system for the profession of lawyers and a unified judicial test exam have been formed in light of China's actual conditions. Under the framework of the socialist democratic law, Chinese citizens' civil rights and basic freedoms have been effectively maintained and protected. Currently, 99 percent of Chinese citizens over the age of 18 have the rights to vote and to stand for election. Chinese citizens are entitled to extensive basic freedoms and basic human rights. They are also entitled to freedom of speech and beliefs and extensive free private space.

China's system for human rights protection has undergone continual improvement. Since the introduction of the reform and opening-up policy, China has continuously beefed up its efforts to strengthen the human rights protection system and written respect for, and protection of, human rights into the Constitution. It has amended the Criminal Procedure Code, set up an open trial system, ratified the principle of being innocent until proven guilty, and granted the right to review the death penalty at the Supreme People's Court. It has formulated a number of laws related to human rights protection, such as the State Indemnity Law and Administrative Litigation Law, and further streamlined the petition system which enables the average citizen to voice their views and have their appeals heard. China's human rights education has gained popularity gradually thanks to a growing social awareness of human rights.

The Chinese government has paid much attention to human rights protection. During the legislation process, China takes the need for human rights protection into full consideration. During enforcement, the Chinese government requires law enforcement agencies and law enforcement officers to respect human rights. In 2009, China formulated the National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010), which was the first national human rights-themed plan devised by the Chinese government. As the result of the relentless efforts in two years, all the measures stipulated in the action have been implemented effectively, the pre-set targets met as scheduled, and indexes achieved successfully, signaling that China's human rights undertaking has entered a new phase of development.

Meanwhile, we must be clear-minded that China is still a developing country. Problems of imbalances exist in the development process. Economic development is increasingly restrained by environmental and resource conditions. The income gap is still big. Regional disparity still needs adjustment. Quality education and medical care resources are far from enough and unevenly distributed. The pressure from price hikes is obvious. Housing prices of some cities still increase too fast. Illegal land usage and transfers cause social conflicts sometimes. Food safety problems prove to be a national headache. Limited by natural, historical, cultural, economic and social conditions, China's human rights cause is still confronted by many challenges. There is a long way to go for the Chinese government to realize the noble target that all Chinese citizens completely enjoy human rights.