China's human rights development still had "quite a few things less than satisfactory", but would see progress as the modernization drive went on, a top official said in Beijing on Tuesday.
[ Read the full text of the interview ]

"Due to natural, historical, cultural and economic and social factors, there are still many problems and difficulties in the development of human rights," said Wang Chen, minister in charge of the State Council Information Office.

In an interview with the Human Rights journal, Wang said China's political and economic structural systems were yet to be improved, democracy and the legal system remained to be perfected, and governments at all levels had to heighten their awareness about protecting human rights and about exercising administration according to law.

He admitted that the country's economic and social development was uneven and the enlarging gaps between the urban and rural areas, between different regions, and between the rich and the poor had not been brought under control.

Problems and difficulties were quite outstanding in areas such as employment, social security, income distribution, education, medical service, housing and production safety.

"All these will affect the immediate interests and rights of the people. It is, therefore, a long-term and arduous task of the Chinese government and people to continue and strengthen their efforts to promote and protect human rights," said Wang.

But he swiftly expressed confidence in the prospect of China's human rights despite all the difficulties.

China had long put human rights high on the agenda for national development, he said, and had pioneered a new path best suited to its national conditions in human rights development focusing on "people first" policy and the rule of law.

"I firmly believe that so long as we unswervingly implement the constitutional principle of respecting and protecting human rights, constantly improve democracy and the rule of law, our society will become more harmonious and people will live a still better life and enjoy human rights to the full," he said.

Wang also said the international community should deal with human rights issues through dialogues and cooperation, "In promoting human rights, only by carrying out constructive dialogues, exchange and cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual respect, ... can all countries in the world achieve common progress and development."

Wang said countries in the world should enhance mutual understanding, and learn from each other's experiences, instead of confronting each other.

Wang said some countries and regional groups had "politicized and ideologized human rights by practicing double standards, flying the 'human rights' flag to negate the sovereignty of other countries and carry out power politics."

This would seriously spoil the atmosphere of international cooperation in and obstruct the healthy development of human rights in the world, Wang said.

The minister said people in different countries have different understandings and demands with regard to human rights and their human rights problems that need priority solution also vary.

"Under the precondition of recognizing the universality of human rights, all governments and people have the right to adopt different policy measures according to their respective national conditions to seek human rights development best suited to their country," he said.

He called on the nations to focus on the "prominent problems in the present-day" world, such as armed conflicts, terrorism, environmental pollution, hunger, poverty, uneven economic development and the growing South-North gap, all seriously threatening human rights in the world, the minister said.

"Dialogue and cooperation are conducive not only to human rights progress in all countries, but also to the harmonious and healthy development of human rights in the world," Wang said.

Power politics, on the other hand, contributes nothing to human rights development, and would poison the international relations and harm the healthy growth of the cause of human rights in the world," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency December 9, 2008)