Mr. President,

The Chinese delegation welcomes the presentation just made by the US delegation. We have noticed that in recent years the US government has made efforts to promote and protect human rights, leading to some progress in the health care coverage and education.

At the same time, we have also concerned by the gaps in the US laws protecting human rights and that it has not become a party to a number of core international human rights instruments. Its law enforcement agencies tend to use excessive force and it lacks independent oversight bodies. There is also serious discrimination against Muslims and minority racial groups, while the instance of poverty among Afro-Americans, Latinos and Indians is three times that of the white. The American judicial authorities have committed abuses under a system which allows for the detention of immigrants. Some states have enacted laws which gravely infringe upon the basic human rights of immigrants. In the name of fighting terror, the United States is also monitoring and curtailing its citizens' freedom of expression and the right to free internet access.

We have the following recommendations:

1. Early ratification of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women(CEDAW), Convention on the Right of the Child (CRC), Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities(CRPD) and other core international human rights treaties.

2. Enhancing oversight with the view to ending excessive use of force by law enforcement agents, particularly when it is directed against racial minorities and bring perpetrators to justice.

3. Quickly close down the Guantanamo prison and follow the provision of the UN Charter and Security Council resolutions by expatriating terror suspects to their countries of origin.

4. Modify the definition of discrimination in its laws to bring it in conformity with ICERD and other international standards.

Thank you, Mr. President.