Beijing yesterday rejected Washington's criticism of China's human rights record, and unveiled its own account of rights abuses in the United States.

The Human Rights Record of the United States in 2005, issued by the State Council Information Office, accuses the US Government of hypocrisy and double standards on human rights.

It is the seventh year in succession that China has released its own annual report outlining US human rights abuses.

The US State Department said a day earlier that China's human rights record "remained poor, and the government continued to commit numerous and serious abuses."

"We disapprove of foreign interference in other countries' internal affairs," said Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing yesterday on the sidelines of the ongoing session of the National People's Congress.

"We will not countenance such irresponsible remarks," he said, adding that China's constitution respects and guarantees human rights.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang also expressed strong dissatisfaction with, and resolute opposition to, the US report.

At a regular press briefing yesterday, he asked Washington to stop its "irresponsible accusations" on China's human rights.

"The report turns a blind eye to basic facts," Qin said.

He said that, in fact, the US has its own "serious violations" of human rights, which have drawn criticism from the international community.

Qin said the Chinese Government has done a lot in promoting democracy and law enforcement; and the efforts "have been widely affirmed by the international community."

The human rights row comes at a sensitive time in bilateral relations, as President Hu Jintao is scheduled to visit the United States soon.

US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian Affairs Christopher Hill reportedly said on Wednesday that Washington expects to "engage with President Hu on a broad range of human rights and religious freedom topics" during his trip.

Liu Hainian, a senior researcher on human rights with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, yesterday lashed out against the US accusations, saying the report "is nitpicking."

He said human rights abuses occur in every country and the United States should not point fingers at others while keeping silent on violations on its own soil.

In response to US accusations of China's police power abuse, detention and imprisonment, Liu said the facilities at Chinese prisons have greatly improved, citing his own inspection tour to prisons in Beijing, Shanghai and East China's Jiangsu Province.

"The living conditions in those prisons are no worse than those in developed countries," he said.

A country with a population of more than 1.3 billion, China has been making efforts to offer better food, clothing, housing and education for its people to ensure their basic rights, he said.

Source: China Daily