China vows to do more to safeguard human rights

China has pledged to further improve the mechanisms for protecting citizens' civil and political rights, according to a report released on Thursday by the State Council Information Office. The National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2026-2030), released at the opening of the 2026 Forum on Global Human Rights Governance, outlines China's work to protect human rights in the next five years. China will further refine the institutions, standards, and procedures for whole-process people's democracy, expand orderly public participation in political affairs, and guarantee that the people engage in democratic elections, consultations, decision-making, management, and oversight in accordance with the law. The country will guarantee the people's extensive rights and freedoms as prescribed by law, strengthen legal protection of human rights, and ensure that the respect for and protection of human rights run through all aspects and the entire process of legislation, law enforcement, judicature, and law observance, according to the action plan. (Xinhua) Edited by Tony Sabine