China's progress in human rights not only benefits one-fourth of the world's population, but also sets the tone for many countries in the region, a United Nations human rights chief said on Friday.

"China's rapid economic growth has resulted in tremendous progress in reducing poverty and improving the lives of people gradually," said Louise Arbour, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, in summarizing her week-long visit to China.

"Improvement is evident in life expectancy, child mortality and illiteracy (in China). These all constitute advances in realizing economic and social rights."

Recalling the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Chinese Government on Wednesday, Arbour said her organization would work together with China to eradicate obstacles to the nation's ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

"The Chinese authorities indicated that they want to ratify the covenant as early as possible," Arbour said, adding that China has done a significant amount of work to create conditions for the ratification since the signing of the treaty in 1998.

China said it would use the time before ratification to bring legislation and practice in line with the Covenant's requirements so that "the treaty can be ratified with as few reservations as possible," Arbour said.

For example, the nation is making changes on criminal procedure law, lawyers' law, protection of minor's law, and law on the promotion of woman's rights, she noted.

The High Commissioner also pointed to China's ratification of five of the seven major international human rights treaties and its co-operation with the UN human rights mechanism.

Arbour told reporters she also expressed concerns in a number of areas.

"I welcomed the anticipated resumption of the jurisdiction of the Supreme People's Court in the review of all capital punishment cases," she said.

Commenting on the lack of reliable data on the extent of the use of death penalty, the High Commissioner said "transparency is critical for informed public debate on the issue."

Answering an inquiry raised by China Daily on the nation's efforts to fight against corruption, Arbour said China needs fundamentally the "rule of law" and a legal structure that people can trust and which will govern their activities.

"You need professional and trustworthy institutions as well courts with professional judges who know the law and are independent," she said. "That is the only way to remove corruption, which is probably the most destructive aspect of government."

During her discussions with Chinese officials, Arbour said she also highlighted the importance of China in exercising its global role to help advance human rights internationally.

(China Daily September 3, 2005)