Human Rights Record of the United States

The Human Rights Record of the United States (informally referred to as the "China Human Rights Report") is a publication on the annual human rights record in the United States of America, published by the Information Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China. The report was first issued in 1998 as a response to the United States' practice of criticizing China in its own annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, which each of the Chinese reports cites in the first paragraph.

"China Human Rights Report" redirects here. For the annual publication of that name, see Taiwan Foundation for Democracy. For general coverage, see Human rights in the United States

Overview

The Human Rights Record of the United States is published as a retort to U.S. criticism of China's human rights policies[1] in the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, published by the State Department of the United States.[2] The Chinese report states that the State Department reports are "full of distortions and accusations of the human rights situation in more than 190 countries and regions including China. However, the United States turned a blind eye to its own terrible human rights situation and seldom mentioned it." It says that the United States uses the human rights issues as "a political instrument to defame other nations' image and seek its own strategic interests." The report asserts ""[The U.S. State department] released the 'Country Reports on Human Rights Practices' year after year to accuse and blame other countries for their human rights practices. These moves fully expose the United States' hypocrisy by exercising double standards on human rights and its malicious design to pursue hegemony under the pretext of human rights."[1]

The Report criticizes U.S. domestic social and economic issues, such as poverty, crime and racism. Some of the data cited in the report is derived from official or authoritative sources; other sections are composed from a variety of material found online, some of which may be anecdotal.[3]

Regarding the 2010 report, Fareed Zakaria wrote: "The report loses itself and takes away from the more serious charges it does make about Guantanamo Bay and CIA detention facilities. The Chinese government should get the report done by serious Chinese scholars, of whom there are many, rather than the propaganda department of its Communist Party, which seems to have written this one."[4]

Notable reports

2003 report

The Human Rights Record of the United States in 2003, published on March 1, 2004, criticizes the USA PATRIOT Act, saying it has "encroached upon rights and freedom of citizens, especially the people of ethnic minorities."[5] It also argues that the freedom of press has been neglected, citing examples such as the firing of Peter Arnett and limited access to al Jazeera television broadcasts.[6] The report emphasized U.S. military actions abroad, including the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, conducted without the approval of the United Nations.

The report concludes that the United States should "reflect on its erroneous position and behavior on human rights, and stop its unpopular interference with other countries' internal affairs under the pretext of promoting human rights".[7]

2004 report

The 2004 report stated:

In 2004 the atrocity of U.S. troops abusing Iraqi POWs exposed the dark side of human rights performance of the United States. The scandal shocked the public and was condemned by the international community. It is quite ironic that on Feb. 28 of this year, the State Department of the United States once again posed as 'the world human rights police' and released its 'Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2004'. As in previous years, the reports pointed fingers at human rights situation in more than 190 countries and regions (including China) but kept silent on the U.S. misdeeds in this field. Therefore, the world people have to probe the human rights record behind the Statue of Liberty in the United States.[8]

2010 report

Xinhua News Agency posted the text of the 2010 report on its website.[9][10] It stated in part, "The violation of [US] citizens' civil and political rights by the government is severe ... the United States applies double standards ... by requesting unrestricted 'internet freedom' in other countries, which becomes an important diplomatic tool for the United States to impose pressure and seek hegemony, and imposing strict restriction within its territory.[11] The 2010 report by China's State Council stated in response to the United States' Record that the mortgage crisis in the U.S. triggered an economic recession globally.[12]

2011 report
Human Rights Record of the United States in 2011

I. On Life, Property and Personal Security
II. On Civil and Political Rights
III. On Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
IV. On Racial Discrimination
V. On the rights of women and children
VI. On U.S. Violations of Human Rights
against Other Nations

source: (Xinhua 2012a)


China issued the 2011 report (Xinhua 2012a) on May 25, 2012.[13][14] The detailed report is made of 6 sections (Xinhua 2012a). The section II make a detailed overview of the occupy movement and US's security forces abuses of power.

2014 report

China published a report on the United States' human rights situation on June 26, 2015, hitting back at U.S. remarks about China.

The report, titled "The Human Rights Record of the United States in 2014," was released by the Information Office of the State Council, China's Cabinet, in response to "the 2014 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices" issued by the U.S. State Department on June 25 local time.

China's report states that the U.S. made comments on the human rights situations in many countries while showing not a bit of regret for or intention to improve its own terrible human rights record.

"The U.S., a self-proclaimed human rights defender, saw no improvements in its existent human rights issues, but reported numerous new problems," it says.

While its own human rights situation was increasingly grave, the U.S. violated human rights in other countries in a more brazen manner, and was given more "red cards" in the international human rights field, according to the report.

Ji Hong, a research fellow with Institute of American Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said America does not hold the moral high ground to tutor or judge others in that itself is also plagued by major human rights issues. According to Ji, who took part in drafting the report, US racial problems even deteriorated during the Obama presidency. "In the past, there were only implicit discrimination against ethnic minorities, but recent cases such as Charleston shooting spree reflected a more flagrant bias."

Friday's report was the 16th such annual report published by China in response to U.S. attacks. Li Daojun, a professor with Law School of Shandong University, said the U.S. and China should expand mutual exchange and recognition on human rights causes. "The U.S. puts political rights above all else while China seeks to focus more on ensuring people's economic opportunities and development. In essence, it's the same because the two are interdependent."

[15]

See also

References
  1. "China hits back with report on U.S. human rights record". News.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on 2013-11-19. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
  2. "Full Text of Human Rights Record of the United States in 2010". News.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
  3. Branigan, Tania (April 11, 2011). "China accuses US of human rights double standards". The Guardian. London.
  4. "What in the world? China calls out the U.S. on human rights". CNN. April 18, 2011.
  5. I. "On Life, Freedom and Personal Safety" // The Human Rights Record of the United States in 2003
  6. II. On Political Rights and Freedom // The Human Rights Record of the United States in 2003
  7. VI. "On Infringement upon Human Rights of Other Nations" // The Human Rights Record of the United States in 2003
  8. Introduction // Full text of Human Rights Record of the United States in 2004
  9. "Full Text of Human Rights Record of the United States in 2010". News.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
  10. "Facts and Figures: U.S. human rights situation". News.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on 2013-11-19. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
  11. Branigan, Tania (2011-04-11). "China accuses US of human rights double standards". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
  12. China Counters US Report on its Human Rights Record. Lanham: Federal Information & News Dispatch, Inc. Print.
  13. "FACTBOX: U.S. human rights record in 2011 - Xinhua | English.news.cn". News.xinhuanet.com. 2012-05-25. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
  14. "China issues report on human rights in the U.S. - Xinhua | English.news.cn". News.xinhuanet.com. 2012-05-25. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
  15. "China issues report on U.S. human rights;". Beijing: People Daily of China. 2015-06-26.
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