China defends human rights progress

Beijing, Jan.18 (ANI): China has defended its human rights record, and said that no country has the right to interfere in its internal affairs and violate its judicial sovereignty.

Responding to U.S. Ambassador Gary Locke's latest criticism of China's human rights record, foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said the progress of China's human rights is obvious to all.

Locke had earlier told the Charlie Rose Show that: "The human rights climate has always ebbed and flowed in China, up and down, but we seem to be in a down period and it's getting worse."

Liu told reporters at a regular news conference what Locke said is "not the truth".

"China has attached great importance to promoting and safeguarding the basic rights of the Chinese people, including the freedom of belief and speech. China's progress in human rights is obvious to all," Lui said.

Liu cited a survey that shows 86 percent of the Chinese people are satisfied with the country's development.

Liu admitted that China faces more challenges in its social development, which is natural as "we have a population of 1.3 billion and we spent only 30 years in finishing a path that took the Western world 300 years".

Liu said China is working very hard to solve such problems and is willing to enhance dialogue and cooperation with the international community on human rights. (ANI)