The Chinese government attached the greatest importance to safeguarding people's health and other democratic rights, said Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing Saturday at a press conference of the ongoing session of the Tenth National People's Congress.

According to the minister, top Chinese leaders and officials from governments at various levels always stood in the most dangerous areas in last year's anti-SARS campaign and made arduous endeavor to help the people.

China's life expectancy has increased from the average 35 years old in 1949 to last year's 71, a big improvement, said Li.

At present, the Chinese people are enjoying unprecedented educational and democratic rights, which can not be separated from legislation and judicial work. The minister quoted a short poem of former Chinese Foreign Minister and Marshal Chen Yi to demonstrate Chinese leadership's unswerving concern on interests of the people.

"The conception that China is weak in terms of human rights is a big mistake," said the minister, adding that those indifferent to the world's poorest people "have a cold heart".

(Xinhua News Agency March 6, 2004)