People attend a flag-raising ceremony to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China at a settlement site in Tianchishan Village of Detuo Township, Luding County, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Oct 1, 2022. Photo:Xinhua

Since its founding, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has attached great importance to respecting and protecting human rights, and seeking happiness for the Chinese people is the original aspiration of the CPC, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Friday. 

Wang said at Friday's routine press briefing that in the face of the COVID-19 epidemic, China put people and their lives first and did its utmost to protect people's safety and health. The average life expectancy of Chinese people has risen from 74.8 years a decade ago to 78.2 years, Wang said. 

China has established the world's largest education system, social security system and medical and health care system, and the popularization of nine-year compulsory education has surpassed the average level of high-income countries. 

China is the only major country in the world that has consistently formulated and implemented four action plans on human rights. It has protected human rights throughout the legislative, administrative and judicial processes, and used the rule of law to protect people's rights, so that their sense of gain, happiness and security is enriched, Wang said. 

China has also actively participated in UN human rights affairs and served as a member of the UN Human Rights Council five times, making it one of the most elected countries. China has put forward a series of initiatives, including combating racism and racial discrimination, promoting equitable distribution of vaccines, and opposing unilateral coercive measures. China has made a clear stand against and opposes interference in the internal affairs of developing countries, which has won support from the international community, especially developing countries, Wang said. 

He said China is willing to work together with the international community, build consensus on human rights development, better improve people's well-being, and promote global human rights governance toward a more fair, just, reasonable and inclusive development.

Global Times