BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- China published its first working plan on human rights Monday, pledging to further protect and improve human rights conditions.
The National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010), issued by the Information Office of the State Council, or Cabinet, highlighted goals that would be implemented in less than two years.
This action made China one of 26 countries that have responded to the United Nations' call to establish a national human rights plan since 1993.
The 54-page document is divided into five sections: Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Civil and Political Rights; Rights and Interests of Ethnic Minorities, Women, Children, Elderly People and the Disabled; Education in Human Rights; and Performing International Human Rights Duties, and Conducting Exchanges and Cooperation in the Field of International Human Rights.
"The realization of human rights in the broadest sense has been a long-cherished ideal of mankind and also a long-sought goal of the Chinese government and people," the document stated.
China plans to continue to "raise the level of ensuring people's civil and political rights" through improving democracy and the rule of law, it said.
CIVIL, POLITICAL RIGHTS TO BE GUARANTEED
The death of a Chinese man, Li Qiaoming, at a police station in Yunnan Province two months ago sparked a public outcry for enhancing transparency and supervision of the detention system.
These concerns were addressed in the second section of China's new human rights action plan, which stipulates principles for safeguarding detainees' rights and treatment.
Corporal punishment, abuse, insulting detainees or the extraction of confessions by torture will be strictly prohibited, according to the document.
"All interrogation rooms must impose a physical separation between detainees and interrogators," it stated, adding that a system for conducting physical examinations of detainees before and after an interrogation will be introduced.
Detainees, their families and society at large will be informed of detainees' rights as well as law-enforcement standards and procedures. Real-time supervision conducted by the people's procuratorate on law enforcement in prisons and detention houses will be intensified, according to the document.
"For detainees' convenience, complaint letter boxes should be set up in their cells and a detainee may meet the procurator stationed in a prison or detention house by appointment, if the former feels he has been abused and wants to make a complaint," it said.
Statistics from the Supreme People's Procuratorate show that Chinese procuratorates punished 930 government workers in 2006 who illegally took people into custody and extorted confessions by torture.
Regarding the death penalty, the action plan stated it will be strictly controlled and prudently applied.
"Every precaution shall be taken in meting out a death sentence," and judicial procedures for death sentences will be stringently implemented.
"China adheres to the basic principle of a legally prescribed punishment for each specified crime, suitable punishment for each crime, criminal law equally applicable to everyone, public trials and statutory procedures," it read.
It reiterated that all death sentences must be reported to the Supreme People's Court (SPC) for review and approval, in addition to those verdicts rendered by the SPC.
The SPC loosened its control over death penalty reviews in 1983amid a national crime crackdown. But it was found later that judges in different areas handled similar cases in varied ways. The SPC took back the power of reviewing death sentences from provincial courts in January 2007.
On the right to a fair trial, the document stipulated that "the information of open trials shall be fully released," and that courts "shall record or video their court sessions and major relevant trial activities, and establish audio-visual archives of trial work" for consultation.
"People's courts are required by law to give the reasons for cases that are not tried openly."
The action plan pledged to guarantee lawyers' rights to meet, correspond with and review files of people in custody, as well as to conduct investigations and collect evidence.
"The state also guarantees the personal rights of lawyers and their right to debate or defend when they carry out their duties, "the document stated.
It promised to improve government transparency through better disclosure of important information including revenue, expenditures and development plans.
On participation in political affairs, the government said the people's congress system, or legislative body, will be more widely represented by ethnic minorities, women, and farmers.
The government promised that "all channels are unblocked to guarantee citizens' right to be heard."
"Journalists' right to gather materials, criticize, comment and publish" will be ensured in accordance with the law. Citizens' right to use the Internet, in accordance with the law, will also be guaranteed.
The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's leading political advisory body, will invite more social organizations to join to play a bigger role in reporting public opinion, according to the document.
"The channels for people to make complaints in the form of letters and visits will be broadened and remain unblocked," the document stated, vowing to establish a nationwide complaint information system and a state-level office to deal with complaints.
It reiterated the government's stance on freedom of religious belief, saying normal religious activities and religious believers' rights would be protected in accordance with the law.
RIGHTS TO DEVELOPMENT HIGH ON AGENDA
The government admitted that "China has a long road ahead in its efforts to improve its human rights situation," though unremitting efforts have been made to promote and safeguard human rights since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.
As a developing country with a population of 1.3 billion, China must give priority to the protection of the people's rights to subsistence and development, such as the rights to employment, education, medical and old-age care and housing, the plan stressed.
Major goals to be achieved by 2010 included:
- To create 18 million new jobs for urban workers while helping18 million rural laborers move to cities and towns to find jobs by2010;
- To increase net annual income of some 800 million rural residents by 6 percent from the 4,761 yuan (696 U.S. dollars) recorded in 2008;
- To have more than 223 million people covered by the urban basic old-age pension insurance, 400 million people covered by basic medical care insurance, 120 million covered by unemployment insurance, and 140 million covered by workers' compensation insurance;
- To provide safe drinking water for 60 million rural residents;
- To invest more than 2 billion yuan to help areas inhabited by ethnic minorities to accelerate economic and social development.
The document also detailed what the government will do to "guarantee human rights in the reconstruction of areas hit by the devastating earthquake in Wenchuan, Sichuan Province" on May 12, 2008, in which about 87,000 people were confirmed dead or missing, more than 370,000 were injured, and at least 15 million people were displaced.
The government plans to complete housing reconstruction by the end of this year to ensure all quake survivors can move into new houses.
More than 1 million people in quake-affected areas, who were unemployed at present, will be helped to find a job, according to the document.
The government said its action plan was framed in response to the United Nations' call for establishing a national human rights plan. It was also based on the essentials of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- A digital cultural service system covering urban and rural areas will be built with 1.115 billion yuan (about 16.4 million U.S. dollars) of state investment by 2010, said the National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010) released by the Information Office of the State Council on Monday.
By the end of 2010, the number of farmers' reading rooms
across the country will reach 237,000, and radio and TV broadcast coverage will
reach 716,600 villages each with more than 20 households where electricity is
available, according to the action plan. Full story
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- In 2010, China's amount of chemical oxygen demand
(COD) and the emission of sulfur dioxide will be 10 percent lower than those in
2005, said a document released by the Information Office of the State Council on
Monday .
The National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010)
said that China will take an active part in international cooperation in an
effort to create an environment favorable for human existence and sustainable
development and build a resource-conserving and environment-friendly society to
guarantee the public's environmental rights. Full story
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- China's central government
will pool three billion yuan (about 44.12 U.S. dollars) of lottery earnings to
support the building and operation of after-school facilities, said an action
plan released by the Information Office of the State Council on Monday.
"After-school education will be expanded", according to
the National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010). It said that every
county (district) across the country will have one venue for after-school
activities to guarantee the right of minors to after-school education by 2010.
Full story
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- The average annual
disposable income of urban residents will reach 15,781 yuan (about 2,320 U.S.
dollars) or more by the year 2010, said an action plan issued by the Information
Office of the State Council on Monday.
The government will continue to steadily raise the incomes
of rural and urban residents, especially people with middle- and low-income, and
improve the system of subsistence allowances so as to ensure the right of urban
and rural residents to a basic standard of living, said the National Human
Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010). Full story
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- In 2009 and 2010, an
additional 18 million urban workers will be employed and 18 million rural
laborers will move to cities or towns and find jobs there, and the state will
take proactive and effective measures to offset the negative impacts of
international financial crisis, and ensure the economic, social and cultural
rights of all members of society. Full story
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- The Government will
gradually increase the content of the law and human rights in courses of
secondary and elementary schools. By making good use of the courses of
ideological and moral Standards, China will foster students' awareness of the
obligations and rights of citizens, tutoring them in the ideas of democracy,
rule of law, freedom, equality, fairness and justice, as well as a healthy
concept about interpersonal relations, collectivism, nation and society,
according to the plan. Full story
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- China will carry out
education in human rights in various forms in a planned way, and will popularize
related knowledge, said the National Human Rights Action Plan of China
(2009-2010) released by the Information Office of China's State Council on
Wednesday.
Human rights education and training will be carried out
especially among government employees, focusing on people working in public
security agencies, procuratorates, courts, prisons, urban management organs, and
administrative law enforcement organs, the plan said. Full story
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- China strictly prohibits
identifying the sex of a fetus for other than medical purposes and termination
of pregnancy in the case of a female fetus, said the National Human Rights
Action Plan of China (2009-2010) released Monday by the State Council's
Information Office.
Crimes of killing or abandoning baby girls will be
severely punished, the plan said. Full story
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- By 2010, more than 95
percent of the population of China's ethnic autonomous areas should have access
to the nine-year compulsory education, said the National Human Rights Action
Plan of China (2009-2010) released Monday by the Information Office of the State
Council.
The government will continue to establish and develop
schools and organize preparatory classes for ethnic minorities, adopt bilingual
teaching systems and give preferential treatment to students of minority ethnic
groups in enrollment in schools and universities, the plan said. Full story
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- China will appropriate more
than 2 billion yuan (293 million U.S. dollars) as a development fund for ethnic
minorities during 2009-2010 to accelerate their economic and social development,
said the National Human Rights Action Plan of China released Monday by the State
Council's Information Office.
The state will continue to promote economic development in
areas inhabited by ethnic minorities and raise their standard of living, the
plan said. Full story
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- The population covered by
the urban basic old-age pension insurance in China is expected to exceed 223
million by 2010, said the National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010)
released Monday by the Information Office of China's State Council. Full story
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government has
promised to help survivors of last year's devastating Wenchuan earthquake to
move into new houses before the end of this year, according to a human rights
document published here on Monday.
The rebuilding of collapsed or seriously destroyed
farmers' houses will be basically completed to ensure they can "move into new
houses by the end of December 2009," says the National Human Rights Action Plan
of China (2009-2010). Full story
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- The average life expectancy
of Chinese is expected to reach 73 years by 2010, according to the National
Human Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010) released Monday by the Information
Office of the State Council, or Cabinet.
The basic framework for the basic health care system
covering the entire nation will be established by 2010, to make China among the
countries where the national basic health service is available, according to the
plan. Full story
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- The coverage of maternity
healthcare services in urban and rural China will exceed 90 percent and 80
percent respectively by 2010, said the National Human Rights Action Plan of
China (2009-2010) released Monday by the State Council's Information Office.
Information and education on family planning and
reproductive health will be provided for women, who enjoy equal rights in family
planning with men, the plan said. Full story
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- China will place 2.2 million
more beds in service centers for the elderly in rural areas by 2010, said the
National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010) released Monday by the
Information Office of China's State Council.
The state will continue pushing forward the construction
of old-age service facilities, the plan said. Full story
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Women should be present in
at least half of the government leadership of China's central government
ministries, provincial and city governments, said the National Human Rights
Action Plan of China (2009-2010) released Monday by the Information Office of
the State Council.
The plan said the state will continue increasing women's
participation in the management of state and social affairs. Full story
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- China will create 300,000
additional jobs for the disabled in cities and towns by 2010, said the National
Human Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010) released Monday by the Information
Office of the State Council (Cabinet).
The plan said the state will guarantee the disabled
people's right to employment. The government will strengthen employment training
for the disabled and the construction of an employment service network,
standardize and develop business that offer jobs to a considerable number of
disabled people at one go. Full story
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- China will promote the
construction of a barrier-free environment for the disabled in 100 cities by the
year 2010, said the National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010)
released Monday by the Information Office of the State Council.
Assistance techniques or substitute technologies such as
Braille, sign language, captions and special communication facilities are to be
adopted to pave the way for the disabled to participate in social activities,
the plan said. Full story
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- China is to increase the
proportion of female and grassroot deputies to the people's congresses at all
levels to expand citizens' participation in political affairs, said the National
Human Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010) released Monday by the Information
Office of China's State Council.
According to the plan, the proportions of deputies from
among ethnic minorities, returned overseas Chinese, women, grassroots workers,
farmers and migrant workers in the total number of deputies to people's
congresses at all levels will be increased appropriately. Full story
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Death penalty shall be
strictly controlled and prudently applied, said the National Human Rights Action
Plan of China (2009-2010) released Monday by the Information Office of China's
State Council.
If a criminal sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve
commits no intentional offense during the suspension period of the sentence, he
or she will not be executed at the end of such suspension period, and his or her
punishment will be commuted in accordance with the law, said the plan. Full story
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- China will take effective
measures to ensure detainees' rights and humanitarian treatment, said the
National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010) released Monday by the
Information Office of China's State Council.
Effective measures shall be taken to prohibit such acts as
corporal punishment, abuse, insult of detainees or the extraction of confessions
by torture, the plan said. Full story
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government is to
set up a national office to deal with public complaints, said the National Human
Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010) released Monday by the Information
Office of China's State Council.
According to the plan, a nationwide complaint information
system will be built and a national office to deal with complaints will be set
up so as to make it convenient for the people to voice their petitions, report
problems and offer suggestions. Full story
BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government will
make more effort to keep the public informed of government affairs, said the
National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010) released Monday by the
Information Office of China's State Council.
According to the action plan, E-government will be
promoted to gradually achieve the goal that governments above the county level
and their departments each has a website and most government organs and public
institutions each has a hotline. Full story
