“Human Rights in China” by Samitha Hettige, PhD at the Asia Progressive Forum of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka. (2022 March 21 Waters Edge, Colombo).

 On the 65th Anniversary of China – Sri Lanka Diplomatic Relations.

 The Right to Life in China is recalled in the word Rénkǒu for “population” written in Chinese.

 The word reminded the emperor on 'how many mouths have to be fed'.

 The word became Jinkō in Japanese, for the Japanese Language is based on Chinese characters.

 The Peoples Republic of China was established in 1949, on October 01. Famine was the main reason for the revolution. By 1951, the PRC had a rice surplus. In 1952, Sri Lanka too was facing a crisis.

2022 is the 70th anniversary of the Rubber Rice Pact (RRP).  The Communist Party of Sri Lanka played a key role in pushing the UNP Dudley Senanayaka government to sign the RRP.

To this date China had helped us to fight famine while protecting its own 1.5 billion population.

 Chinese civilization has grown rice for more than 10,000 years. In 1973, the PRC invented the first hybrid rice (Yuan Lingping is called the founder of hybrid rice).

By 2020, China harvested more than 500KG per hectare using their fertilizer. China is still helping us to fight famine.  

History says that during 1970-77, certain persons instigated by certain colonial powers, ensured that sand is mixed to the rice which was imported to Sri Lanka at the harbour to create conflict. 

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is being built to extend the 21st Century Silk Road (The Belt and Road Initiative), from western China to the Indian Ocean.

It will raise the Pakistani masses above poverty level. Prime Minister Imran Khan refers to China as an All-Weather Friend.

 Now we hear that his life is in danger.  

 The CPEC was used to deliver much needed fertilizer to the suffering Afghan farmers, after the USA left the country freezing its forex assets.

A good friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out – Chinese Proverb

The Right to Work has a long history in China.

In the 2nd Century B.C., a competitive examination was held to recruit officers to the imperial service.  

Candidates answered a question paper with questions on nine subjects based on the teachings of Confucius. China had paper and ink by that time.  Answer Scripts were rewritten by another person to prevent examiners recognizing the candidate from hand writing.

The Communist Party of China was established on 23rd July 1921. Its first centenary goal was to eradicate poverty in China. By 2020, independent evaluators outside of the Chinese government proved that all provinces in China have been raised above the poverty line.

China has managed to raise approx. 100 million persons above the poverty line to reach this goal, within 7 years.

China is one of the few countries where forest cover has increased during the passed decade.

 They used those living below the poverty line, as “Rangers”.

This gave them employment, protected forests and gave clean air to the world at large.

China is a member of the “Paris Agreement” which has more than 200 members. The USA is the only country which left it in 2020, since the Paris Agreement conditions were blocking the US coal industry making profits.

China gave us the Port City. It was suspended for a few years after 2015.

You may know people who lost employment due to that suspension?

The Right to Health – The BRI network supported most countries with medical supplies during the COVID pandemic.  

Chinese trains carrying medical supplies were called “Metal Camels”. China protected its citizens and humans in most countries through donating vaccines.  That helped us to re start our lives.

Human Rights in Tibet:

When the Indian Army took control of Goa from the Portuguese and Pondicherry from France: not many were worried about human rights.

In 1959, the PLA moved into Tibet and some are still worried about human rights.

Democracy or socialism was known in Tibet before the 1960s.  After 62 years, democratic reforms have added value to more than 3.5 million Tibetans.

It has taken them out of feudal political oppression and poverty.  On average the Tibetans have an average of 10 years schooling. Before transformation education was a luxury to children of the slaves.  Most living in remote areas has moved into new housing units made of concrete which withstand the rough weather conditions of that region.  

In 1959, the average life expectancy was 35 years it is 71 years at present. 

In Tibet green coverage increased by 47%. The GDP grew from 174 million Yuan in 1960 to 180 billion Yuan in 2020. 

It was the first autonomous region in China to provide free education until a person is 15 years. The literacy rate among young/ middle aged is now 99%. The entire population enjoys medical-insurance cover. 

What is happening in Xinjiang?

Xinjiang is an important link in the BRI (a development plan stretching through Asia and Europe).

China hopes to eradicate separatist activity to continue its development of Xinjiang.

It is home to China’s largest coal and natural gas reserves (www.cfr.org).

Ma Ling is a Hui Muslim teacher at an educational institution in Changji, Xinjiang (about 25 miles west of Urumqi). The school has employees from eight communities (Han, Hui, Uyghurs, and Korean Chinese etc). As per Ma “Everyone is just like relatives,” emphasizing human credentials. “Xinjiang is not as gloomy as the Western governments say,” he insisted. Ma said he visited the “so-called concentration camps mentioned by Westerners… these are no more than training schools.” “On the contrary, if they don’t have this study experience in the training schools, they may only stay at home in the poor villages on the border, and they will become prey to Afghan terrorists, and maybe finally become jihadis in the future.”(www.thediplomat.com).

Human Rights of Chinese in Canada, USA and under Japanese rule:

When the United States of America (USA) and Canada were constructing their first ever railroads, thousands of Chinese slaves were taken across the Pacific by the colonial rulers to work in these mega projects.

Thousands of Chinese peasants died constructing railroads in the Americas.

To this date extremely few have ever appreciated the contribution of Chinese slaves to build railroads in the Americas.

The railroads constructed by the Chinese slaves have contributed immensely to the development of the USA and Canada, and they still play a pivotal role in the supply chains and economic development of these countries.

It was after the PRC was established that the large scale exploitation of Chinese labour by western multinationals came to an end.

Japan used Chinese peasants as laboratory rats to develop biological weapons during World War II.

Women’s Rights in China:

As per the English medical journal “The Lancet”, a study was conducted over 70 years about the women's health in China.

It proves that the Chinese system of administration has actually ensured that 'Children are the future and hope of the motherland’.

According to the study there is a sharp reduction of deaths during childbirth from 1,500 to 17.8 per 100,000 births since the establishment of the PRC in 1949 till 2019. The study also states that in India the numbers have only reduced from 1,000 to 145 during the period 1949-2019. 

Democracy combines the Greek words "demos (people)" and "kratos (rule) symbolizing "people rule." Democracy therefore, is linked to human rights or "people's rights.

The USA's Summit for Democracy was held on 9th and 10th of December 2021 in the USA. At the event it has been argued that the rights of Indian women are superior to Chinese women as Indian women live in a "Parliamentary System or a Republic.

As per statistics, nearly one fifth of human population is the women in India and China.

According to the Lancet, the achievements in China are largely due to the strong political will and the improvements ushered in gender equality.

Therefore, it is clear the human rights of Chinese women are far more protected than Indian women although China was not invited for the summit. 

Hong Kong (HK) and Macao were given back to China in 1997 and 1999 by those who leased the SARs from China.

 Democratic elections were never held in HK under British occupation.

 China never took the USD reserves of HK to the mainland.

 Those who voiced concerns about extradition issues when China rules HK have signed many extradition treaties with most countries.

Then why is it a problem to sign extradition treaties with China?

 Thank you!