Palais des Nations, 9 February 2009

Mr. President,

Madame High Commissioner,

Fellow Delegates,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great honour for me to join you at this UPR session and make a presentation on behalf of the Chinese Government.

China takes the UPR very seriously. To prepare China's national report, we established last July a special task force composed of members from nearly 30 national legislative, judiciary and administrative departments. In order that the report is as comprehensive, objective and authoritative as possible, we held consultations with nearly 20 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and academic institutions, and conducted a broad public consultation via Internet. Moreover, the Chinese Government has sent a high-level cross-departmental delegation to this review. The Chinese delegation is ready to engage in open and sincere dialogue with you in a responsible manner.

For the purpose of this review, some member states have submitted a number of questions in writing. In the course of my presentation, I will make a general response to these questions.

Mr. President,

In 1949, the People's Republic of China was founded and the Chinese people won national independence. A fundamental social and political system for the promotion and protection of human rights has been established in our country.

With its launch of reform and opening up and its historic modernization drive in 1978, China has begun a new chapter in the promotion and protection of human rights.

The living standards of the Chinese people have achieved two historic leaps: from poverty to subsistence and from subsistence to relative prosperity. The number of persons in rural areas living in poverty has fallen from 250 million to over 14 million, and the per capita disposable income of urban residents has increased 39 times. China is the first country in the world to meet the poverty reduction target set in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

China pursues a strategy of making the country stronger through science and education. By the end of 2000, nine-year compulsory education had been made virtually universal throughout the country. Illiteracy had been essentially eliminated among the young and middle aged. China has met ahead of schedule the targets of "universal primary education" and "eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary education" set in the MDGs.

The average life expectancy of Chinese citizens has risen to 73 years, 7 years higher than the world average. The maternal mortality rate has dropped to 36.6 per 100,000, 60 per cent lower than the figure in 1978 when the reform was first initiated.

The average per capita residential floor space for rural and urban residents is now 4 times larger than 30 years ago. Twelve Chinese cities have won the UN-HABITAT Award. In the wake of the devastating earthquakes that struck Wenchuan, Sichuan Province in last May, the Chinese Government provided temporary accommodation within three months to over 10 million people affected by the earthquakes, and some 130,000 permanent residential units have been built within six months of the disaster.

China has worked consistently to improve its legal system. Since the reform and opening up in 1978, the National People's Congress (NPC) and its Standing Committee have enacted nearly 250 laws relating to the protection of human rights. The notion of the rule of law and of State respect for and safeguarding of human rights was codified in the Chinese Constitution in 1999 and 2004 respectively.

China has endeavoured to promote democracy, enhance democratic institutions, improve the system of people's congresses, and reinforce political consultations among the political parties. A system of self-government at the primary level has been established, which applies to rural villagers' committees and urban neighbourhood committees. A Chinese-style democracy characterized by democratic election, democratic consultation and democratic self-government is taking shape.

China seeks to guarantee judicial independence and the fair administration of justice through continued reform and improvement of its judicial system. For example, all death sentence appeal cases are heard in open court sessions. The authority to review and approve death penalty cases has been restored to the Supreme People's Court. More and more procuratorial organs require audio-video recording of interrogation of persons suspected of public office abuse-related crimes. The system of people's assessors and people's supervisors has been improved. Supervision over the administration of justice and over the law enforcement has been strengthened.

China has continued its efforts to promote law-based governance and to increase government transparency. A number of legislations, such as the Criminal Procedure Law, the Law on Administrative Review, the Law on State Compensation and the Regulations on Public Access to Government Information, have been promulgated to ensure citizen's rights to be informed, to participate and to oversee. From the central down to local governments, a mechanism of public notification and public hearing has been introduced for all major decisions bearing on public interests and people's well-being.

China encourages NGOs to fully play their role in promoting and protecting human rights. There are now 400,000 registered NGOs. They are active in such fields as poverty alleviation, health, education, environmental protection, and the safeguarding of citizens' rights. The NGOs have become increasingly influential in China's political and social life.

China pursues a policy of ethnic equality and regional ethnic autonomy. Ethnic minorities in China benefit from special preferential policies in the political, economic, cultural and educational spheres. The Chinese Government encourages dual- and multi-language teaching in schools of ethnic minorities, and has helped 13 ethnic minorities create or develop their written languages. Huge investment has been made to protect the religions, cultural identities and other heritages of ethnic minorities.

China has taken an active part in the international human rights exchanges and cooperation. China is a party to 25 international human rights instruments, and has conducted human rights dialogue with nearly 20 countries. We maintain good relations of cooperation with the OHCHR and UN special procedures. We welcome Mme. Navanethem Pillay to visit China at a time convenient to both sides. We are also considering inviting another UN special rapporteur to visit China this year.

Mr. President,

In the months after submitting its national report, China has adopted additional measures to promote human rights.

Last October, a decision was made by the 17th CPC Central Committee at its 3rd Plenary Session. The decision identifies the goals and outlines measures to deepen the rural reforms and development, such as eliminating extreme poverty in rural areas and doubling 2008 per capita income of rural residents by 2020, gradually realizing equal treatment between rural migrant workers and urban residents, and ensuring the exercise of farmers' democratic rights.

At the end of last year, China has taken 60 more judicial reform measures, such as strengthening the system of investigation and supervision of public office abuse-related crimes, and the system of people's supervision over the administration of justice, and reducing punishment for minor crimes and juvenile delinquencies.

To tackle the current global financial crisis, the Chinese Government has adopted an economic stimulus package containing 10 major measures. Under the package, 65 per cent of the projects aim directly to better the life of our people, such as improving the well-being of rural residents, strengthening medical and health-care services, education and culture and other social services and programmes, accelerating the post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction, and increasing people's income. These measures of the Chinese Government are in fact part and parcel of China's continued efforts to protect human rights and improve people's welfare.

Mr. President,

China is the world's largest developing country. We are fully aware of our difficulties and challenges in the field of human rights. China has a population of 1.3 billion, and 800 million are in rural areas. China needs to create 24 million jobs each year. China still ranks well below 100 in terms of per capita GDP in the world. The poverty-stricken and low-income population remains vast, and the imbalances in development between urban and rural areas and among regions still persist. Medical and health-care services and social security system still fall short of our people's needs.

To overcome these difficulties and challenges, the Chinese Government is conscientiously implementing the Scientific Outlook on Development, an approach that places people first, and seeks to ensure comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable development, in an effort to build a harmonious society characterized by democracy, the rule of law, equity and justice. My Government will continue to give top priority to people's livelihood, human values, people's rights and interests, and social equity and freedoms.

Some 50 government departments of China are working on a National Human Rights Action Plan for 2009-2010, hopefully it will be completed and made public very soon. The action plan will be the first of its kind in China. It will set goals for the promotion and protection of human rights for the next two years and will identify the measures to be taken by government departments. It will be another big step forward in promoting human rights in China.

Mr. President,

The Chinese Government resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong and Macao in 1997 and 1999 respectively and established the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) under the principle of "one country, two systems".

In the HKSAR, human rights and freedoms are guaranteed constitutionally by the HKSAR Basic Law. Further human rights protection is accorded by local legislation, including the Bill of Rights Ordinance, the Race Discrimination Ordinance, the Independent Police Complaints Council Ordinance, and 15 international human rights treaties applicable to the HKSAR. The rights of special groups are protected through such mechanisms as the Women's Commission, the Children's Council project, the Children's Rights Forum, and the Ethnic Minorities Forum. The HKSAR Government will continue its endeavour to promote and protect human rights.

In the MSAR, human rights and freedoms are guaranteed constitutionally by the MSAR Basic Law. To promote and protect human rights and maintain the rule of law is a cornerstone of administration for the MSAR Government. The MSAR Government advocates harmony and anti-bias to ensure a multicultural and ethnic society. The MSAR Government continues to improve social rights, particular consideration being given to the rights of vulnerable groups, such as the disabled, the elderly, the children, the women and the persons under custody. The MSAR Government remains committed to a government more accountable to the citizens, advocates the concept of social harmony and promotes human rights development.

In China's National Report, the HKSAR and MSAR Governments provide separate accounts of the situations in Hong Kong and Macao. The two regions are represented here by their senior officials. They will answer your questions concerning the two regions in the following interactive dialogue.

Mr. President,

Due to time constraint, my presentation cannot cover all China's efforts to promote and protect human rights. For the same reason, I cannot elaborate on China's difficulties and challenges. Nor can I address in detail each and every question that has been raised. That said, in the interactive dialogue, my delegation and I will try our best to address your questions, including those unanswered written questions. And we will do so in a candid and open manner and respond to your recommendations responsibly.

Thank you, Mr. President.