Q: The US Department of State issued the Advancing Freedom and Democracy Reports, 2008 recently, criticizing the human rights situation in China. Do you have any comment?

A: The Chinese Government always puts people first and exercises governance for its people. It is witnessed by all that the Chinese Government has made tremendous achievements in developing democracy, enhancing the rule of law, safeguarding and promoting human rights and freedom of the Chinese people of various ethnic groups. The accusation of the human rights situation in China in the reports is a denial of reality and utterly groundless.

We urge the US to pay more attention to its own human rights issues, stop using democracy and human rights issues to interfere in other countries' internal affairs and do more to enhance the mutual trust between China and the US and the development of bilateral relations.