The State Council Information Office released a white paper on May 14 detailing the Progress in China's Human Rights in 2012. It is the 10th such document China has issued since 1991.

Experts shed light on the distinctive features of the newly released white paper while hailing the progress the country has made in advancing its human rights cause.

Innovative efforts

The white paper, totaling more than 20,000 Chinese characters, details China's efforts to protect human rights while pursuing economic, political, cultural, social and ecological development as well as its involvement in international human rights exchanges and cooperation. The document, characterized by a concise structure, is in line with the UN human rights conventions, said Zhang Wei, Executive Vice President of the Institute for Human Rights at the China University of Political Science and Law.

"The white paper provides a scientific review and an in-depth summary of China's achievements in human rights protection since 2009," said Zhao Zhengqun, a professor at the School of Law of Nankai University and Director of the China Society for Human Rights Studies. "At the same time, it shows that China will take a more comprehensive and balanced approach to promoting the sustainable development of human rights in keeping with the principles put forward at the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC)." Moreover, the white paper highlights China's commitment to innovation in the field of human rights.

Zhao pointed out the 10 human rights white papers China has issued give a truthful and objective account of the country's achievements. They serve as a chronology of China's human rights protection as part of its efforts to bring about the great renewal of the Chinese nation, he added.

Ecological focus

The white paper devotes a chapter to the "protection of human rights in ecological progress," which experts said is of great importance.

"Environmental pollution has become the most daunting problem in our society today," said Zhang Wanhong, an associate professor and Director of the Public Interest and Development Law Institute at the Wuhan University. Since equal access to a good environment and health services is an essential human right, the government must protect the environment while seeking economic development. Previous documents touched upon this topic only briefly, Zhang said. For instance, the white paper released in December 1995 said the state helps impoverished areas improve their ecological environment.

China has largely put in place a system of policies and laws to ensure citizens' environmental rights and interests, Zhang Wei said. As it intensifies its efforts to protect the environment, the country has further ensured people's rights to a clean living environment and a good ecological environment, he added.

By giving prominence to ecological progress, China is committed to protecting the human rights not only of this generation, but also of generations to come, experts said.

Political participation

China's human rights protection has made headway since the beginning of the 21st century. After the concept of human rights was enshrined in the Constitution, national economic and social development plans and the CPC Constitution, the principle of fully respecting and protecting human rights was incorporated into the vision for a "moderately prosperous society in all respects" at the 18th CPC National Congress in November 2012. There is no doubt that progress in human rights is one of the important components of the "Chinese dream," a notion advocated by China's new leadership to promote national renewal, Zhao said.

In addition to the 10 human rights white papers, China has issued two national human rights action plans. The country enforces strict controls over and prudently applies the death penalty. The amended Criminal Procedure Law features breakthroughs in informing detainees of their rights, helping them acquire lawyer assistance, facilitating their meetings with lawyers, invalidating illegal evidence and providing special protection to minors. Human rights protection in the judicial field now covers more specific issues.

The white paper also shows China's progress in protecting human rights while carrying out political restructuring in recent years, said Han Dayuan, Dean of Renmin Law School.

Commenting on the protection of civil and political rights, Han said during people's congress elections at county and township levels in 2012, rural and urban residents for the first time enjoyed equal representation in legislative bodies, a move that demonstrated the universality and equality of the right to vote. Legislative bodies have redoubled their efforts to ensure public participation in lawmaking by publicizing draft laws and holding hearings, deliberative sessions and seminars.

Han said the implementation of the Regulations on Government Information Disclosure, the disclosure of the government's expenses on official receptions, vehicles and overseas trips, the frequent convening of press conferences and the use of online social networking tools have been highlights of political and democratic right protection in recent years. Thanks to these developments, channels for people to be informed about and participate in political affairs have increased and improved, with orderly and rational expression of views becoming the norm.

Zhang Wei and Zhang Wanhong agreed that the most remarkable progress in China's human rights cause is the changing perception of the concept, especially the growing importance attached to human rights education.

More than 100 higher learning institutions in China offer courses on human rights. The government has established three national human rights education and training bases in collaboration with universities and will set up another five such bases in the coming years. These measures are conducive to promoting human rights education for college students, civil servants and other social groups, Zhang Wanhong said.