China has made historic progress in the field of human rights since the founding of the People's Republic 60 years ago, Wang Chen, minister of the State Council Information Center, told the second Beijing Forum on Human Rights on November 2, 2009.

With the financial crisis, climate change, and a looming energy crisis presenting major obstacles to development and human rights around the globe, Wang Chen said the theme of the conference "Harmonious Development and Human Rights" was particularly timely.

Wang said the Chinese government had consistently emphasized development as the key factor in protecting and developing human rights. Effective measures in the social, economic, legislative and cultural spheres had ensured the Chinese government and people had made remarkable achievements in the all-round progress of human rights.

Over the past 60 years, China has developed from being a poor and weak country into a prosperous, modern state, and the lives of Chinese people have improved dramatically, said Wang. China feeds its 1.3 billion people, 22 percent of the world population, with only 9 percent of the world's farmland. The living standards of the Chinese people, he said, have made two historic leaps, from abject poverty to the provision of basic needs, and from the provision of basic needs to a moderate level of prosperity. At the same time, the individual and political rights of Chinese citizens have been guaranteed and expanded.

Wang said that since beginning reform and opening-up in 1978 the government has followed a people-oriented policy that matches human rights to China's social reality, and puts the emphasis on the right to development and decent living standards. The reform program and political stability have created an environment favorable to human rights progress, ensured all citizens share in development, and balanced political rights with economic, social and cultural rights, and individual rights with collective rights. Faced with the global financial crisis, China immediately adopted stimulus measures that maintained stable and rapid economic growth and, in very practical terms, protected and guaranteed the rights of the people.

China has also stepped up its participation in international human rights bodies and has always supported the United Nations in its efforts to promote and protect human rights, said Wang.

Despite these accomplishments, Wang acknowledged that many problems remain and that all-around development of human rights remains a long-term and difficult task facing the Chinese government and people.