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China admits to human rights shortcomings

Premier Wen Jiabao conceded on Thursday that China's human rights record has shortcomings but said it was working towards greater freedom for its people.

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 WELLINGTON: Premier Wen Jiabao conceded on Thursday that China's human rights record has shortcomings but said it was working towards greater freedom for its people. 

 During a brief visit to New Zealand, Wen faced small protests from human rights organisations, members of the Falungong movement and Green MPs demonstrating at the occupation of Tibet.   

Falungong members claimed their practitioners in China were being killed for their beliefs and their organs harvested for sale. 

Speaking after talks with Prime Minister Helen Clark, Wen told journalists that greater freedom would follow economic reform. China's priority had been successfully to feed its 1.3 billion people and lift 200 million people out of poverty.  

"This is the biggest progress we have made and as the saying goes a person living in poverty has no freedom to talk about," Wen said.    

"This does not mean that we believe we have been perfect in regards to human rights records and we have our shortcomings."    

Wen said that in line with economic restructuring, China has been reforming its political, cultural and social management systems.   

"China's people will enjoy more freedom .. and I believe in days to come we will be able to protect more and more fundamental rights of the Chinese people," he added.   

"China is right now promoting democracy and moving forward with political development. We have already incorporated provisions that the state respect and protect human rights into the constitution." 

The current reforms had the ultimate goal of making the Chinese people use more initiative and be more creative while ensuring fundamental rights were achieved, he said.

The Chinese now had more freedom to move home, choose their jobs, travel overseas and choose information, Wen said.  

 China has been criticised for many human rights breaches in the past including suppression of free speech and religious belief, censorship, unfair trials and wrongful imprisonment.    

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