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China refutes US human rights report

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-26 18:41

BEIJING -- China refuted the US human rights report Thursday and urged it to stop interfering in the domestic affairs of other countries through the issuance of a report.

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"The United States should examine its own human rights issues, stop calling itself human rights guard and interfering in other countries' domestic affairs by issuing human rights reports," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said at a regular press conference Thursday afternoon.

The report issued in Washington on Wednesday criticized China's policies toward ethnic groups and religious beliefs, and its judicial system.

Ma said the Chinese government attaches importance to the protection and promotion of human rights. China's constitution and laws respect and ensure the people's human rights. Since the reform and opening up to the outside, China has achieved steady development in economy and culture, fully guaranteed the people's freedom of religious beliefs, and continuously strengthened its legal system.

He added that China is willing to conduct dialogues and exchanges with all countries on human rights issues on the basis of equality and mutual respect, so as to strengthen the mutual understanding, expand common views and reduce disparities. However, China firmly opposed any country's interference in its internal affairs on the pretext of human rights.