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China hits back with report on U.S. human rights record
2009-02-26 22:52

 

    China on February 26, 2009 hit back at a United States report on its human rights with its own report on the U.S. human rights record.

    "The U.S. practice of throwing stones at others while living in a glass house is a testimony to the double standards and hypocrisy of the United States in dealing with human rights issues and has undermined its international image," the Information Office of the State Council said in its report on the U.S. human rights record.

    The Human Rights Record of the United States in 2008 was in retaliation to the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2008 issued by the U.S. Department of State on Feb. 25.

    For years, the United States had positioned itself over other countries and released the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices annually to criticize human rights conditions in other countries, using it as a tool to interfere with and demonize other nations, the report said. "The U.S. has turned a blind eye to its own violations of human rights."

    "As in previous years, the reports are full of accusations of the human rights situation in more than 190 countries and regions including China, but mentioned nothing of the widespread human rights abuses on its own territory," China said in its report.

    "The Human Rights Record of the United States in 2008 is prepared to help people around the world understand the real situation of human rights in the United States, and as a reminder for the United States to reflect upon it s own issues," China said.

    The report reviewed the human rights record of the United States in 2008 from six perspectives: life and personal security; civil and political rights; economic, social and cultural rights; racial discrimination; rights of women and children; and the United States' violation of human rights in other countries.

    The report warned the United States of widespread violent crimes that posed serious threats to its people's live and security.

    According to a report published in September 2008 by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the country reported 1.4 million violent crimes, including 17,000 murders and 9.8 million property crimes in 2007.

    More frequent gun killings were a serious threat to the lives of U.S. citizens, the report said.

    It quoted the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention assaying that 1.35 million high school students in 2007 were either threatened or injured with a weapon at least once on school property.

    The report said an increasing number of restrictions have been imposed on civil rights in the United States.

    It cited the government surveillance on citizens' activities online, new legislation on government wiretapping in last July, more cases of police abuse of force and neglect of basic rights of2.3 million prisoners in the United States.

    China in the report advised the U.S. government to "face its own human rights problems with courage, and to stop applying double standards to human rights issues."

    This is the 10th consecutive year that the Information Office of China's State Council has issued a report on the human rights record of the United States to answer the U.S. State Department's annual report.

    "Respect for and protection of human rights is an important indication of civilization and progress of human society," the report said. "Every government shoulders a common responsibility in committing itself to the improvement of human rights conditions."

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