White paper on human rights progress issued

CHINA yesterday published a white paper on its progress in the field of human rights over the past 70 years.

The white paper, titled “Seeking Happiness for People: 70 Years of Progress on Human Rights in China,” was released by the State Council Information Office.

“Living a happy life is the primary human right,” the document said, adding that China regards the rights to subsistence and development as the primary and basic human rights and has been improving the rights of its people in a coordinated manner since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, especially after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012.

Seventy years ago, under the leadership of the CPC, the people of China were emancipated and became masters of their country.

Over the past seven decades, the Chinese nation has stood up and grown prosperous and is becoming strong; all basic rights of the people are better respected and protected, and China has made a regular contribution to the international cause of human rights, the white paper said.

China has opened a new path of human rights protection based on its national conditions, and increased the diversity of human civilizations, it said.

In China, the world’s largest developing country, people’s living standards have been continuously improving, said the white paper. Upholding the rights to subsistence and development as the primary and fundamental human rights, China strives to enhance people’s wellbeing through development to better protect their human rights, said the white paper.

It listed an array of achievements, including effectively guaranteeing the right to food, the elimination of absolute poverty, markedly improved living standards, safe drinking water, improved housing conditions, more convenient public transport, better health for the people, improved social assistance, as well as enhanced postal and telecommunication services.

China effectively ensures its people enjoy their rights.

Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the country has continued to improve the protection of the people’s economic, political, social, cultural, and environmental rights, according to the white paper.

Personal rights and dignity are well respected and protected, workers’ rights are fully safeguarded, a social security system that covers the largest population in the world has been established, universal education expands remarkably, and public cultural services benefit more people, the white paper said.

Chinese people enjoy real democracy, the white paper said, adding that China protects people’s rights to know, to participate, to express, and to supervise.

The freedom of religious belief is protected in accordance with the law, and environmental rights are also better protected. The white paper also said the rights of special groups have been well protected over the past 70 years in China.

(CGTN)