China publicizes human rights action plan

The Chinese government publicized Monday its second national plan for human rights protection, promising to address challenges and work for happiness and dignity of every citizen.

The new plan, addressing human rights protection work from 2012 to 2015, follows the previous one covering the period of 2009 and 2010.

Due to the influences and limitations of natural, historical and cultural factors, as well as the current level of economic and social development, China still confronts many challenges in the development of its human rights cause and it has a long way to go before it attains the lofty goal of full enjoyment of human rights, the document says.

"It should be remembered that China remains a developing country that is fraught with problems from unbalanced, uncoordinated and un-sustainable development," it says.

It will be a crucial period from 2012 to 2015 for the country to improve human rights while implementing the 12th five-year development plan, deepening reform and opening-up and accelerating the transformation of the country's economic development pattern, it says.

In the next three years, the Chinese government will combine its human rights endeavors with economic, political, cultural, social and ecological construction, the document says.

To meet people's need of living a better life, the country will "prioritize people's rights to subsistence and development," the document says, adding that it will safeguard and improve people's livelihood and spare no efforts to solve the problems of the utmost and immediate concern to the people.

In addition, the country will practically safeguard the citizens' economic, political, social and cultural rights and promote social equity and harmony, so as to ensure that every member of society live "a happier and more dignified life," it says.