December 2023
Intl seminar on information and communication accessibility and human rights protection held in Beijing
UNESCO officials and representatives from more than ten countries convened at a seminar in Beijing on Dec. 1 to share experiences and explore ways to enhance the inclusiveness of the society for people with disabilities.
At the seminar, jointly hosted by Communication University of China and UNESCO, officials and scholars from China, France, Mongolia and Malaysia discussed — either on-site or through video — ways to promote the information accessibility and empowerment of people with disabilities.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Nation lauded for contribution to human rights cause
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has earned global trust through its inclusivity, and China’s historic achievements in human rights offer a unique model for upholding the spirit of the document, officials and experts said at a seminar on Dec. 4 in Beijing.
Amid the 75th anniversary of the declaration, which falls on Dec. 10, the China Society for Human Rights Studies held a seminar to commemorate the milestone document.
From: China Daily
Proposal set to advance cause of human rights
Beijing has put forward a four-point proposal for advancing global human rights, including “galvanizing common security and shaping a stabler international environment”, in order to end conflicts and facilitate the return of the homeless to their homeland.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi unveiled the proposal package in Beijing on Dec. 5 in a speech during the opening of an international symposium commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
From: China Daily
Experts discuss global human rights governance at int’l symposium in Beijing
An international symposium marking the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was held in Beijing on Dec. 5.
The symposium was hosted by the China Foundation for Human Rights Development and welcomed experts, officials and diplomats from countries including Russia, Cuba and Saudi Arabia.
From: Xinhua
Xinhua releases report on Belt and Road cooperation from human rights perspective
The China Foundation for Human Rights Development and New China Research (NCR), Xinhua’s think tank, issued a report on Dec. 7 titled “For a Better World — Looking at the Past Decade of Jointly Pursuing the Belt and Road Initiative from a Human Rights Perspective.”
The report explores the relationship between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the development of human rights in the world.
From: Xinhua
China issues action plan for improving air quality, aiming to boost use of electricity
China’s State Council, the country’s cabinet, issued an action plan on Dec. 7 for the continuous improvement of air quality. Under the plan, China should boost the development of new energy and clean energy, while strictly and reasonably controlling coal consumption and prohibiting new steel capacity.
By 2025, it is expected that electricity should account for around 30 percent of total energy end-use consumption, and non-fossil energy consumption should reach around 20 percent, according to the action plan. It was released following the conclusion of the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai last week, during which China’s role in global climate governance was highlighted.
From: Global Times
Beijing releases guideline on improving care for elderly
Authorities in Beijing released a guideline on Dec. 7, pledging to improve services for the capital’s elderly population in line with the broader national strategy.
The guidance introduced “new patterns” and “complementary forms” of senior care, including community care at home, institutional care and travel-based care.
From: China Daily Global
Regulation aims for safer cybersecurity
Serious damage to critical networks or information systems, or theft of crucial data, should be reported to cyberspace departments within a specific time frame, according to a draft regulation unveiled on Dec. 8.
The document, which was issued by the Cyberspace Administration of China, the country’s top internet regulator, identifies an overall interruption of key information infrastructure for six or more hours as an “extremely serious” cybersecurity case, requiring relevant operators to report such incidents to national cyberspace or public security authorities within one hour.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Stronger data protection legislation called for
Legal experts in China are calling for strengthened legislation on data protection and improved data security management to safeguard human rights in the digital age.
Lu Guangjin, deputy head of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, said the country has passed several laws on digital development, but due to a lack of legislation regarding rights and the protection of data ownership, there has been a negative impact on the normal flow of data, resulting in a continuous stream of disputes over data rights.
Lu made the remarks at a conference on protecting human rights in the digital age, which was held in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, on Dec. 10.
From: China Daily
Action plan targets low-carbon transportation
The latest action plan on air quality emphasized the importance of a green and low-carbon transformation of transportation in the battle against pollution, aiming to shift from a focus on the administration of individual vehicles to the comprehensive management of clean transportation, said a senior official on Dec. 11.
“Our next step is to work on the existing emission sources and reduce the emission of nitric oxide and volatile organic compounds through green transformation in the transportation sector,” said Liu Bingjiang, chief engineer of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and head of the ministry’s department of atmospheric environment, at a policy briefing on Dec. 11.
From: China Daily
Water infrastructure projects creating jobs
Construction of water infrastructure in China has helped improve the livelihoods of people in rural areas, generated a large number of employment opportunities and beefed up water supplies, senior water resources officials said.
“China is seeing growth in employment and wages in the water infrastructure construction sector, providing more workers with higher remuneration,” Chen Min, vice-minister of water resources, said at a news conference on Dec. 12.
From: China Daily
China issues updated regulation on compulsory custody measures
China’s top procuratorate and the public security ministry have issued an updated regulation on further examining and assessing the necessity of custody for criminal suspects or defendants.
The move aims to standardize the application of compulsory custody measures, while protecting the legitimate rights and interests of criminal suspects and defendants, according to the Supreme People’s Procuratorate on Dec. 13.
From: Xinhua
Ambassador to UK publishes article on China’s ethnic policy
Chinese Ambassador to the United Kingdom (UK) Zheng Zeguang on Dec. 13 published an article headlined “China’s ethnic policy and governance” in Nouvelles d’Europe (UK edition).
Zheng noted that China’s ethnic policy is rooted in the country’s unique history and culture, and has four features: equality, autonomy, development and unity. Through unremitting efforts, China has found the right path to manage ethnic issues with Chinese characteristics and in line with its own national conditions.
From: Xinhua
126 drugs added to national basic cover
China will add 126 drugs to a revised national basic medical insurance list, with a focus on novel medications and rare disease therapies, the National Healthcare Security Administration said on Dec. 13.
Newly added products will include 21 anti-cancer drugs, 17 antivirals or anti-COVID medicines, 15 drugs for treating diabetes, mental disorders, rheumatism and other chronic diseases, and 15 drugs targeting rare diseases, the administration said at a news conference.
From: China Daily
Stable job market in China as of November
China has seen a stable operation of the job market so far and is optimizing the calculation method of young people’s unemployment rate to give the public a more clear picture of the employment situation, said a senior official on Dec. 15.
Latest figures revealed by the National Bureau of Statistics show that the domestic job market was in a stable operation last month with the surveyed urban unemployment rate remaining 5 percent — the same as that in October.
Thirty-one big or first-tier cities such as Beijing and Shanghai saw their surveyed unemployment rate in November pulling even with that in October, while the number dropped by 1.7 percentage points year-on-year.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Social stability key to Xinjiang human rights
In the course of promoting human rights, the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has prioritized people’s right to social stability and utilized its fruit as the foundation to propel all-around advances in the economic, cultural, social and religious development of all ethnic groups, experts said.
“Xinjiang has not seen any violent terrorist incidents for nearly seven consecutive years, enhancing the public’s sense of security to an unprecedented level,” said Erkin Tuniyaz, chairman of the regional government, who attributed it to law-based governance and the normalization of counter-terrorism efforts in the region.
He made the remarks on Dec. 20 at a conference sharing ideas and stories on promoting the high-quality development of the human rights cause in Xinjiang within the Chinese modernization drive, where the first blue book on Xinjiang’s human rights and legal protections was also released.
From: China Daily
Conference highlights human rights advancement in Xinjiang
Chinese officials and experts praised the social stability and rapid development in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region for securing considerable improvement in its human rights.
Speaking at an idea- and story-sharing conference on promoting the high-quality development of the human rights cause in Xinjiang within the Chinese modernization drive on Dec. 20, they said the region has seen a booming economy, society, and culture in recent years and that people of different ethnic groups are enjoying a happy life in general.
From: Xinhua
China mulls law to further ensure income of grain growers
A draft law on strengthening food security was tabled before Chinese lawmakers for the third reading on Dec. 25.
The draft, with a focus on refining the mechanism for ensuring the income of grain growers, was submitted to the seventh session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress for the third review.
From: Xinhua
Vice-minister details progress in mental health services
China has improved access to mental health services and treatment in recent years, a senior health official said on Dec. 26.
Lei Haichao, vice-minister of the National Health Commission, said the central leadership had allocated 10.6 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) for renovating or building 540 mental health facilities and equipping 600 general health institutions with devices used in psychiatric departments.
He released the details while delivering a report on mental health work to a session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
January 2024
Internet Safety: New rules to strengthen online protection for children come into effect in China
New rules aimed at protecting children and young people online have come into effect in China. The State Council says the regulations aim to create a healthy online environment, while protecting the legitimate rights and interests of children and young people.
Adopted by Chinese lawmakers last October, the regulations came into effect on Jan. 1. They were proposed by the Cyberspace Administration of China.
From: CGTN
Nation to tackle population aging
The State Council, China’s cabinet, is currently engaged in extensive research and development of policies aimed at nurturing the silver economy and improving the well-being of its senior citizens.
The significance of developing the silver economy as a proactive measure to address population aging, promote high-quality development, and deliver both long-term and immediate benefits was emphasized at the State Council Executive Meeting chaired by Premier Li Qiang on Jan. 5.
From: China Daily
China’s Xizang to raise educational subsidy standard
The educational subsidy standard in Southwest China’s Xizang autonomous region will rise again this year, according to a fiscal report unveiled on Jan. 7.
The annual subsidy under the “Three Guarantees” policy for education in the region — providing food, accommodation, and school expenses for preschool to senior high school students from farming and herding households and impoverished urban families — will increase by 90 yuan ($12.67) to 5,620 yuan per person in 2024, said the report submitted to the second plenary session of the 12th People’s Congress of the Xizang Autonomous Region for deliberation.
According to the report issued by the regional department of finance, 746,000 students will benefit from the rising subsidy.
From: Xinhua
CBS of the US has told some truth about Xinjiang: Global Times editorial
On Jan. 7, US media CBS published an article about their trip to Xinjiang. Different from some Western media’s rumors and slander against Xinjiang in the past, which are completely groundless, the CBS journalist made a relatively objective record of what was seen and heard during the tour, for example, admitting that the local people showed the reporter “everything” and that they did not see evidence of the so-called “detention centers and prisons.” Instead, what they witnessed are local efforts to build high-speed trains, wind power plants and tourism, as well as ethnic dancing, local wine production, and a remodeled village. The journalists felt “the policing and the atmosphere were relaxed” in Urumqi at night.
From: Global Times
Legal aid ensured for defendants
China has reiterated the significance of free legal aid, with clearer requirements for each department, so that the country can strongly protect human rights and better uphold justice.
The requirements have been recently written into work guidance by the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Justice that was made public on Jan. 8.
From: China Daily
China issues guidelines for flexible job market in bid to boost employment
In a bid to enhance services for flexible workers, China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MHRSS) issued a comprehensive set of guidelines aimed at standardizing flexible job markets on Jan. 8, aiming to provide workers with transparent and regulated services. The notice is in line with its commitment to integrate this sector into the broader employment public service system.
In the notice, the MHRSS outlined several key areas related to flexible job markets that require attention and improvement.
From: Global Times
Xinjiang University released On Human Rights Protection in Education in Southern Xinjiang from the Perspective of International Human Rights Law (Chinese and English versions)
On January 9, 2024, Xinjiang University released an independent research report On Human Rights Protection in Education in Southern Xinjiang from the Perspective of International Human Rights Law (Chinese and English versions).
From the perspective of international human rights law, the report systematically sorts out the human rights protection of minors in free education in southern Xinjiang under the leadership of the Communist Party of China from the dimensions of the basis of the international law norm and the domestic legal system construction, pointing out that universalizing 15 years’ free education has better improved minor’s education rights protection in southern Xinjiang, and will help improve the cultural quality and social competitiveness of the people in southern Xinjiang and even the entire Xinjiang.
From: en.humanrights.cn
China’s basic living allowances for orphans increase in 2023
In the third quarter of 2023, the monthly basic living allowances for orphans living at welfare facilities and in foster homes across China were 1,885.4 yuan (265.4 U.S. dollars) and 1439.9 yuan, respectively, increasing by 5.2 percent and 6.6 percent year on year, according to the national civil affairs work conference held on Jan. 14.
A total of 146,000 orphans and 388,000 de facto unattended children in China were covered by the country’s support system as of the third quarter of 2023, according to the conference. Each de facto unattended children received a monthly basic living allowance of 1,439.9 yuan, a 6.6 percent increase from the same period of 2022.
From: Xinhua
China improves home-based care services for senior citizens
China has provided over 235,000 home-based care beds for senior citizens nationwide and aims to supply more with standardized service quality, authorities said on Jan. 14.
Statistics released on the sidelines of the national civil affairs work conference held on Jan. 14 showed that a total of 418,000 senior people had been provided with home-based care services.
Provided by workers with professional capabilities, home-based care services can better meet the demands of disabled senior people. The living places of these senior citizens are appropriately modified, including the provision of smart appliances and handrails in bathrooms.
From: Xinhua
China’s work-for-relief programs create over 2.5 mln jobs for low-income population in 2023
China’s work-for-relief programs created more than 2.53 million jobs for the low-income population, which resulted in a per capita income increase worth more than 14,000 yuan (around 1,968 U.S. dollars) for them, according to official data released on Jan. 16.
The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China’s top economic planner, said that over the past year, the NDRC, together with other government departments, continued to promote work-for-relief programs by increasing special-purpose central government investment support and providing guidance to local regions to push forward the work-for-relief approach in major engineering projects as well as agricultural and rural infrastructure projects in different localities.
From: Xinhua
China completes 125 million mu of afforestation and improvement on grassland
China completed 125 million mu (8.33 million hectares) of afforestation and the improvement on grassland, and reclaimed desertified land and rocky desertification of land that amounted to 28.57 million mu (190 hectares) in 2023, exceeding the country’s afforestation goals, a teleconference on the national forestry and grassland work held by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration revealed on Jan. 22.
According to China’s Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP), 22 projects of the 68 projects in the TSFP have started successively and have completed afforestation of 18 million mu.
From: Global Times
Side meeting of safeguarding economic, social and cultural rights by Chinese NGOs held in Geneva
A side meeting of the fourth round of United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group, was held on Jan. 22 in Geneva, which was on the theme of placing development at the agenda center — safeguarding economic, social and cultural rights.
The meeting was jointly organized by China’s permanent mission to the UN office at Geneva, YouChange China Social Entrepreneur Foundation, and the China Association for NGO Cooperation.
From: Global Times
China releases white paper on legal framework and measures for counter-terrorism
China on Jan. 23 released a white paper on its legal framework and measures for counter-terrorism, which sums up the characteristics of its counter-terrorism efforts over the past decades and exploration of the path of law-based counter-terrorism work.
The seven-part white paper, which was released by the State Council Information Office on Jan. 23, is titled “China’s Legal Framework and Measures for Counterterrorism.” In the foreword, it expounds on the necessity of counter-terrorism legal governance and outlines the framework for implementing counter-terrorism legal governance construction.
From: Global Times
UNHRC reviews China’s human rights record
China has made undeniable human rights progress in the past five years, Chinese scholars and experts said despite some Western anti-China forces constantly sensationalizing news and pressuring the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) before and during the evaluation on China’s human rights record.
On Jan. 23, the UNHRC officially started a Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on China’s human rights record for the fourth time. The UPR is a peer review of the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States. China is among the 14 states to be reviewed by the UPR Working Group during its session from January 22 to February 2.
From: Global Times
China announces 30 new measures for human rights promotion at UN UPR session
China on Jan. 23 announced 30 new measures aimed at protecting human rights, including initiatives to enhance people’s livelihoods, strengthen legal protection of human rights, promote international human rights cooperation and support the work of the UN human rights mechanisms.
During the fourth round of Universal Periodic Review (UPR) conducted here by the UN Human Rights Council, Chen Xu, head of the Chinese delegation for the review, made such announcement, saying that China considers respecting and protecting human rights as a crucial aspect of state governance.
From: Xinhua
Education at all levels in China’s Xinjiang is at all-time high: expert
The implementation of the education beneficiaries project in China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has led to the highest levels in history there for preschool education, nine-year compulsory education, high school education, higher education and vocational education, an expert said here on Jan. 24.
The China Society for Human Rights Studies on Jan. 24 held here a side-event on the theme of “Chinese-style Modernization and Human Rights” during the 45th session of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review of the UN Human Rights Council.
From: Xinhua
Per capita disposable income of Xizang’s rural residents nears 20,000 yuan
The per capita disposable income of rural residents in Xizang Autonomous Region, southwest China, rose to 19,924 yuan (about 2,803 U.S. dollars) in 2023, the local authority said on Jan. 25.
According to the regional department of agriculture and rural affairs, this represents a year-on-year increase of 9.4 percent, 1.7 percentage points higher than the national average.
From: Xinhua
Chinese urban renovations benefit nearly 9 million households in 2023
China accomplished renovation work for 53,700 old residential communities in urban regions in 2023 that benefited 8.97 million households, according to data released by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on Jan. 30.
The data showed renovation projects saw a total investment of nearly 240 billion yuan (33.78 billion U.S. dollars) last year.
From: Xinhua
China offers winter comfort to people in need
Local governments in China have spent 1.91 billion yuan (268.8 million U.S. dollars) on heating assistance, aiding over 4.85 million households to brave the winter chill, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said at a press conference on Jan. 30.
The supporting measures included providing heating subsidies for families facing difficulties, reducing or waiving heating fees, and supplying warm clothing, fuel, and other winter essentials.
From: Xinhua
Consultation of legislation on Article 23 begins
Hong Kong will enact a new national security ordinance to address risks, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced at a news conference on Jan. 30, the same day that the city begins a monthlong public consultation on Article 23 of the Basic Law.
The public consultation on the ordinance, proposed to be titled “Safeguarding National Security Ordinance”, will end on Feb. 28.
From: China Daily
Efforts to improve lives of those with disabilities lauded
China has been praised for its efforts to promote sports among persons with disabilities, and for its progress in enhancing the well-being of the disabled, helping them better integrate into society and assisting them in realizing self-value.
More than 100 participants from over 20 countries and international organizations attended a New Year reception held by the China Disabled Persons’ Federation on Jan. 30, where they heard inspiring stories and took part in some unique games and experiences.
From: China Daily
