Mr. Chairman,
The Convention on the
Rights of the Child is the most comprehensive international
convention on the rights of the child that is endorsed most
widely by the international community. It has stipulated the
four major rights of the child to subsistence, protection,
development and participation, and has set the minimum
standards that States Parties shall meet in terms of
providing health care, education, legal and daily services
for the child of their own counties. This Convention has for
the first time made rights entitled to the child with
international legal force.
Given the unique
characteristics of this Convention, it has, with 191 States
Parties, become an international convention acceded to by
the largest number of States in the history of mankind. This
demonstrates the great importance and good will attached to
the protection of the rights of the child by all States.
The Chinese Government appreciates
the great efforts made by the United Nations and its
relevant agencies in the process of promoting and protecting
the rights of the child. These include the drafting, which
concluded last year, of the two optional protocols of the
Convention and their adoption at the 55th session of General
Assembly. We believe that with the concerted efforts of the
international community, the protection of rights of the
child will result in further progress which will benefit the
child of the whole world.
Mr. Chairman, The Chinese Government always
attaches great importance to the promotion and protection of
the rights of the child and fulfills with sincerity its
obligations under the Convention. The Chinese Government
signed the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights
of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and
Child Pornography on the 6th last September and is
considering positively its ratification. The Chinese
Government also signed days ago the Optional Protocol to the
Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of
Children in Armed Conflicts. These fully demonstrate the
determination and political will of the Chinese Government
to the promotion and protection of rights of the child.
Furthermore, China has, through promulgating new laws and
revising existing laws, formed a fairly complete legal
system for the protection of children's rights and
interests. This legal system has the Constitution at its
core and includes civil, criminal and administrative laws
and regulations such as Law on the Protection of Juveniles,
Law on Health Protection of Mothers and Infants, Compulsory
Education Law and Law on Adoption. In accordance with the
stipulation of the Convention, the Chinese Government has
submitted the first report on its implementation of the
Convention to the relevant UN body, and the report has been
considered. The Chinese Government is now conducting
preparatory work for its second periodical
report.
China has made great effort in
protecting the rights of the child. The Chinese Government,
relying on its own resources, has adopted various effective
measures which have enhanced significantly the enjoyment by
the child in various aspects such as nutrition, health care
and education. The mortality rate of children in China has
been greatly reduced. The achievement by China in the field
of promoting and protecting the rights of the child is
widely recognized by the international community. In its
World’s Children Report issued in 1996, UNICEF also
highly commended on the cause of the development of the
child in China.
Mr.
Chairman,
According to the Convention, children
have the right to education and all State Parties shall
direct the education of the child to the development of love
for peace and respect of human rights. During World War II,
the war of aggression waged by the Japanese militarists has
grossly trampled upon human rights and has brought about
profound sufferings to the Asian people including the
Chinese people. To our deep regret, the Japanese government
has recently reviewed and approved a new history textbook
compiled by the Japanese right-wing extremist forces, which
makes no introspection on its act of aggression. On the
contrary, it distorts historical facts, denies the
aggressive nature of the war, and glorifies Japan's history
of aggression. This has seriously hurt the feelings of the
people of the victim countries. The Chinese Government
strongly condemns the Japanese right-wing extremist forces
for, by making use of the textbook, distorting the fact of
history and ignoring the conscience of humanity. The Chinese
Government urges the Japanese Government to look squarely at
and take a responsible attitude towards the history of its
militarist aggression, strictly honor its solemn commitment
made so far in this respect, and take prompt and effective
measures to eliminate the negative effects caused by this
textbook issue.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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