NPC Votes Wednesday on Human Rights Covenant

Top legislators have said conditions have matured enough to enable them to ratify the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights signed by the Chinese Government in 1997.

They will vote on whether to approve it Wednesday, when the 20th session of the Standing Committee of the Ninth National People's Congress ends.

Lawmakers agreed that the content of the covenant is in agreement with related laws, policies and practices in China.

The directives of the covenant are also consistent with the basic goals of China's opening-up policy and the building of socialism with Chinese characteristics, said the legislators.

They said China has always honoured and respected the general principle of human rights established by the international community. It has taken action in pushing international dialogue, communication and co-operation in human rights.

China has persistently advocated that the rights of subsistence and development are fundamental human rights. The Chinese Government has made it a focal point of all of its work to increase the living standards of its people and guarantee its people live in peace and contentment.

Lawmakers said China has accomplished milestone achievements in protecting the people's economic, social and cultural rights.

With the accomplishment of the nation's Ninth Five-Year Plan (1996-2000), China has solved the food problem for its population of almost 1.3 billion.

A basic framework of the country's social security system has been established and breakthroughs have been made in re-employment and housing reform. The nation has also witnessed an all-round development in culture, education, science and technology, broadcasting, publication, health and sports, legislators said.

The covenant was reviewed in 1998 and last October and the third round of deliberation was held Tuesday at a panel discussion.

The covenant seeks to promote and protect the right to work in just and favourable conditions, the right to social protection, to an adequate standard of living and to the highest attainable standards of physical and mental well-being, and the right to education and the enjoyment of benefits of cultural freedom and scientific progress.








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