China 's human rights record has come under scrutiny, for the firsttime, by the 47-member U.N. Human Rights Council under a new mechanismcalled the Universal Periodic Review. The report looks at progressmade in human rights based on the country's economic development, butfails to address issues such as political and religious persecution. Human rights organizations accuse China of a whitewash.
Chinatakes its position on the world stage seriously and has sent ahigh-powered team to defend its human rights record before the U.N.Human Rights Council.
But, China need not have worried. Opinion was definitely in China's favor as country after country tookthe floor to praise China's achievements. The head of the Chinesedelegation Li Bao Dong set the tone of the proceedings.
Inpresenting his country's report, he stressed steps China has taken tosafeguard its citizens' rights, to govern as a law-based society and toimprove the welfare of its people.
Li said China pursues a policy of ethnic equality and regional ethnic autonomy.
"Ethnicminorities in China benefit from special preferential policies inpolitical, economic, cultural and educational spheres," said Li. "TheChinese government encourages due and multi-language teaching inschools of ethnic minorities ... Huge investment has also been made toprotect the religious practices, cultural identities and otherheritages of ethnic minorities."
During the course of thethree-hour debate, China was praised for its astounding economic featsand promotion of human rights. A long list of speakers supportedChina's use of the death penalty and Internet censorship.
Algeriadeplored, what it called, the politicization of China's record by somenations. Egypt approved China's use of the death penalty and said itshould be expanded. Sudan lauded China's system of re-educationthrough labor.
Sri Lanka Ambassador Dayan Jayatilleka rejected criticism of China as a manifestation of colonialism.
"Chinahas ensured the political rights of its people. The rights ofindependence, self-determination and sovereignty and the social andeconomic rights, to freedom from feudal exploitation and to thesatisfaction of material needs ... We reject the criticism surroundingTibet, which Sri Lanka considers an inalienable province of China,"said Jayatilleka.
A handful of Western countries challengedChina's record. The Canadian representative, Louis-Martin Aumaisquestioned China about its alleged use of evidence obtained undertorture and its treatment of political prisoners.
"Canada isdeeply concerned about reports of arbitrary detention of ethnicminority members, including Tibetans, Uighurs, and Mongols, as well asreligious believers including Falun Gong practitioners withoutinformation about their charges, their location and well being," hesaid.
At the end of the session, a parade of Chinese expertsanswered questions regarding its treatment of ethnic minorities,Tibetans, and human rights defenders. It assured the delegates at theCouncil that their rights, as well as the right to religious freedomand assembly were well protected.