China's Human Rights Action Plan fully implemented, finds third-party evaluation

Villagers attend a spring ploughing ceremony in Quxu County, Lhasa, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 16, 2020. (Xinhua/Purbu Zhaxi)

BEIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2016-2020), released by the Chinese government in September 2016, has been fully implemented, according to an evaluation report by third-party experts.

All of the 168 objectives and tasks in The Action Plan have been completed, with the nation achieving many ahead of schedule or going beyond the targets set, said the report evaluating the implementation of the Action Plan unveiled Wednesday.

"Generally speaking, from 2016 to 2020, China adhered to the people-centered development concept, earnestly implemented the constitutional principle of 'respecting and protecting human rights,' and took practical measures to actively promote the implementation of the objectives and tasks" of the Action Plan, read the report.

It noted an improvement in the protection of people's economic, social and cultural rights, civil and political rights, the rights of ethnic minorities, women, children, the elderly and the disabled, the promotion of human rights information dissemination and education, and achievements in relevant international exchanges and cooperation.

In particular, the report hailed China's success in eliminating absolute poverty and building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, which have led to significantly greater protection for human rights in China.

The evaluation was commissioned by the Joint Meeting Mechanism of the National Human Rights Action Plan and conducted by the China Society for Human Rights Studies and the Human Rights Institute of Southwest University of Political Science and Law.