China defends human rights record as Olympics loom

China mounted a stern defence of its much maligned human rights record on Monday as the clock ticks ever nearer the Beijing Olympics, accusing Western countries of ignoring problems of their own and having double standards.

China is regularly pilloried by its own dissidents, foreign human rights groups like Amnesty International, and the United States and European Union for everything from the suppression of peaceful protests and freedom of speech to the death penalty.

But Luo Haocai, deputy head of a largely ceremonial top government advisory body and in charge of the government affiliated China Society for Human Rights Studies, said China had made "huge strides" in improving human rights.

"Chinese citizens' rights and political rights are fully guaranteed," he told a forum in Beijing, according to a transcript of his remarks carried on a government website (www.china.com.cn).

"Chinese people enjoy unprecedented freedom of every kind and basic human rights, including freedom of religious belief and the right to political assembly," Luo said.

While he did not directly mention recent unrest in the remote Buddhist region of Tibet, or problems in the mainly Muslim far western region of Xinjiang, Luo lauded government protection for the cultures, languages, religions and customs of minorities.

The problems he mentioned included the growing rural/urban divide and social security issues such as medical care, which Luo added the government was committed to tackling.

"Yet some Western countries have double standards when it comes to human rights, constantly criticising China and other developing nations, turning a blind eye to their own human rights issues," he said.

China insists that it has a different concept of human rights to the West, saying that the right to development, including being able to feed and shelter people, must come ahead of individual rights.

"Only if all of society advances can there be real individual rights," Luo said.

"The most important reason for China's national stability, social harmony and people's freedom is that China puts great store on guaranteeing individual rights as well as the rights of the group," he added.

Luo also did not touch upon the anti-China protests which have dogged the global tour of the Olympic torch relay.