China to issue ninth white paper on human rights on Sunday

NEW DELHI - China will issue a white paper on its human rights Sunday, a statement from The Information Office of the State Council said Saturday.

According to a Xinhua news report, Beijing hopes that the release of the white paper will go a long way in helping the international community to have a better understanding of the human rights situation in China.

Released under the title of “Progress in China’s Human Rights in 2009,” it will be China’s ninth white paper on human rights since 1991.

Human rights in China are a matter of dispute between Beijing and other countries and NGOs.

Organizations such as the U.S. State Department, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch have accused the Chinese government of restricting the freedoms of speech, movement, and religion of its citizens.

China has called for a wider definition of human rights, to include economic and social as well as political rights, all in relation to national culture and the level of development of the country.

In this regard, China says, human rights are improving in China.

However, numerous human rights organizations maintain a litany of grievances against Beijing.

Controversial human rights issues in China include policies such as capital punishment, the one-child policy, the social status of Tibetans, and lack of protections regarding freedom of press and religion.

One of the foremost areas of concern is a lack of legal rights, for want of an independent judiciary, rule of law, and due process. Another prominent area of concern is lack of labor rights, which is related to the Hukou system, the absence of independent unions, and discrimination against rural workers and ethnic minorities.

Yet another area of concern is the lack of religious freedom, highlighted by state clashes with Christian, Tibetan Buddhist, and Falun Gong groups.

Some indigenous groups are trying to expand these freedoms; they are Human Rights in China, Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) and China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group (CHRLCG). (ANI)