In a week when there were several disturbing examples of apparent human rights abuses in China, the Chinese government produced their National Human Rights Action Plan for 2012-2015 that aims to safeguard the rights of all of its more than 1.4 billion citizens.
In an interview given to CCTV (China Central Television) the day after the plan was made public on June 12th, Liu Huawen, the Secretary General for the Center for Human Rights studies at the Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, described the new plan as one which addresses many issues that are of public concern. Examples include the issue of air quality and pollutants, the availability of an affordable housing program and compensation for land expropriation.
Despite the attempts of the central Government to actively encourage the adoption of consistent human rights standards throughout China, it is necessary to view their aspirations against a backdrop of several very worrying local-level abuses that made the global news headlines this week. Firstly the forced abortion in a state hospital of a seven-month term fetus in Shaanxi province because the woman, Feng Jianmei, could not pay the ’second child’ fine; and, secondly the widespread disbelief that human rights activist Li Wangyang hung himself while in hospital in Hunan province – his body being quickly cremated by local officials without an autopsy or the family’s permission.
The new Chinese plan is very similar in structure to the one that was produced in 2009, and looks to achieve similar objectives including economic, cultural, social, civil, political and ethnic minority rights. However, the biggest differences between these two action plans is a new chapter which has been titled ‘Implementation and Supervision’, which requires the government, at all levels, to implement this plan. The insertion of this new chapter underlines the difficulties that the central government faces in ensuring consistent implementation across such a populous country made up of 23 provinces, 4 municipalities and 5 autonomous regions, where only a patchwork of rights have existed for generations. Liu’s comments on public television, underline how the central government is working on all fronts towards improving public education on all human rights issues and suggests that they welcome increased media attention on this topic.
Since the Chinese government amended its constitution in 2004 to add that it respects and preserves all human rights, it has moved towards further implementation. This new plan is a continuum of this, planning to strengthen punishment for those who break the law, to formulate a law that provides for those suffering severe mental disabilities, to increase minimum wage, to set a cap of 5% on unemployment and to increase the protection for religious freedom. Throughout the document countless advances have been proposed. In terms of Children’s rights, the plan outlines working towards fighting sexual abuse and maltreatment, and provinces are required to begin to implement an economic support policy for families who have no son, only a daughter.
So, one highly anticipated question is: What will the West think to this? While it has recently been said by the Obama administration that human rights has ‘deteriorated’ in China, Liu Huawen suggests otherwise and effectively points to how foreign politicians cherry-pick the Chinese record. Mr. Liu said in an interview with the Chinese edition of Global Times, that despite countries like the United States always finding fault in regards to the issue of China and its Human Rights policy, countries, such as the United States do not have similar published plans. The continued war of words between the United States and China on human rights has been well documented, with the U.S. slamming China for examples of past abuses, and the Chinese government rebutting most notably by pointing to the hypocrisy of the American government, which constantly challenges other countries on their human rights abuses, but which China believes does not recognize its own challenges.
The main question is what will happen in the next three years towards the end of 2015? Will we look back to the National Human Rights Action plan and see a significant improvement throughout the country, in every far-flung province and city? Will abuse cases such as those involving Feng Jianmei and Li Wangyang still dominate the headlines? While China’s central government has set its mind on improving their country’s rights, only time will tell how well these apparently good intentions are actually implemented. The best way for developed nations to help advance human rights in China appears to be to continue with diplomatic pressure, ensure transparency in the reporting of all abuses, practice what they preach, and hope that the Chinese central government can push through a comprehensive program of education and implementation.
Click Here for the full and detailed National Human Rights Action Plan for 2012 – 2015
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