Editor's note: The Information Office of the State Council, or China's Cabinet, issued a white paper on Progress in China's Human Rights in 2012 on Tuesday. Following is the full text:

Progress in China's Human Rights in 2012

Information Office of the State Council

The People's Republic of China

May 2013, Beijing

Foreword

Since the arrival of the 21st century, the Chinese people have been making constant efforts in advancing human rights protection along the path of building socialism with Chinese characteristics under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government.

It has been the will and action of the CPC and state organs at all levels to respect and protect human rights. After the concept of "human rights" was successively enshrined in China's Constitution, national economic and social development plans and the CPC Constitution, the 18th National Congress of the CPC, held in November 2012, set "respect for and protection of human rights" as one of the goals in the drive for building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. The Chinese government issued the National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010) and the National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2012-2015), and reviewed the implementation of the National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010). The cause of human rights in China has entered a stage of planned, sustainable, steady and comprehensive development.

In governance, the CPC and the Chinese government follow the fundamental and major principle of pursuing scientific development, promoting social harmony, improving the people's livelihood and promoting the wellbeing of the people. Guided by the Scientific Outlook on Development which puts people first and aims at comprehensive, balanced and sustainable development, China combines its human rights endeavors with economic, political, cultural, social and ecological construction, prioritizes the people's rights to subsistence and development, and endeavors to promote the comprehensive and balanced development of their economic, social and cultural rights as well as their civil and political rights. After years of unremitting efforts, China has stepped up to a higher level in the people's living standard, democracy, rule of law, cultural development, social security and environmental protection.

China is a developing country with a vast population and fraught with larger regional differences and resource, environmental and ecological strains as well as conspicuous problems from unbalanced, uncoordinated and unsustainable development. Arduous efforts are still to be made to solve the numerous problems in the development of various undertakings that bear on the people's vital interests. It remains a tough task for China to better protect its people's human rights.