The State Department, again in accordance with the requirements of the act, published the so-called human rights report of Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record 2002-2003, which included China for grave human rights abuses, using distortion to interfere with China's internal affairs under the pretext of human rights, which of course will cause discontent in the Chinese Government and the Chinese people.

　　"Chinese people care deeply for and have the right of say in human rights issues in China," said Dong.

　　"In old semi-colonial and semi-feudal China, when imperialist superpowers including the United States invaded, enslaved and looted China for over a century, along with suppression and exploitation by feudalism, the Chinese people were not entitled toany human rights at all."

　　Chinese people waged a tireless struggle over a long term and paid dearly in order to overthrow suppression by imperialists and win independence, democracy, freedom and human rights.

　　Since the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949, development has become a prime issue for New China and the key to solving all problems in the country, including human rights,Dong went on.

　　With the leadership of the Chinese Government, the Chinese people have persevered in efforts to shake off poverty, backwardness, expand democracy, realize modernization, and make sure that all citizens are entitled to civilized modern life.

　　Since the late 1970s, when China introduced its reform and opening-up drive, the country has been practicing policies concentrating on economic construction, rejuvenating the nation through science and technology and governing the country according to law.

　　It has kept expanding reforms in restructuring the economy and politics to promote a harmonious development of material, political and spiritual civilization, and has found a socialist modernization development path commensurate with China's situationand basic interest of the Chinese people.

　　The reforms have realized social progress so that human rights in China have been profoundly improved, said Dong.

　　In the past dozen years in particular, Chinese people have seen great improvements in both material and cultural life and have realized the historical leap from just having enough to eat and wear to leading a comparatively affluent life.

　　Poor population in China's rural areas, for instance, plunged from 85 million in 1990 to 28.2 million in 2002, while the life expectancy for Chinese residents rose from 70 years in 1988 to 71.8 years in 2002, nine years more than that for developing countries and approaching moderately developed countries, said Dong.

　　The Chinese human rights expert went on to say that by 2002, nine-year compulsory education was practiced across China and 91 percent of the country's illiterate were able to read and write.

　　In the meantime, democratic and legal construction has been greatly strengthened, with citizens' and political rights of the Chinese people being effectively guaranteed.

　　The National People's Congress system and the system of multi-Party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has been improved and are playing an increasingly important role in safeguarding democratic rights, said Dong.

　　"China has also made notable progress in democratic and political construction at grassroots level, governing the nation by law and building a socialist country where the rule of law prevails has been included in the Constitution," said Dong. (more)

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