BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhuanet) -- China is firmly opposed to a US State Department report criticizing China's human rights situation without any reason, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said Wednesday.

    He made the remarks when asked to comment on the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released by the US in WashingtonMonday.

    "Only the Chinese people themselves have the right to comment on the human rights situation in their own country."

    "The Chinese government, sticking to a policy it calls 'puttingpeople above everything else,' has made many efforts toward building a democratic country under the rule of law," Liu said. "As a result, the Chinese people are now enjoying an improved situation in terms of human rights."

    Liu said he hoped the United States would put more focus on itsown human rights problems and work harder to resume the China-US human rights dialogue and benefit bilateral exchanges. Enditem