China's tit-for-tat response, blasts US for human rights violations within its own territory

Beijing, Mar. 13 : China has attacked the United States for its continuous interference in other countries' domestic affairs in the name of human right violations, but 'covering up rampant human rights abuses on its own territory.'

China has published "the Human Rights Record of the United States in 2009" in reprisal of the "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2009" issued by the US Department of State on March 11.

"As in previous years, the (US) reports are full of accusations of the human rights situation in more than 190 countries and regions including China, but turn a blind eye to, or dodge and even cover up rampant human rights abuses on its own territory," China Daily quoted the Information Office of the State Council, as saying.

The report is "prepared to help people around the world understand the real situation of human rights in the United States," the paper said.

The report reviewed the human rights record of the United States in 2009 from six perspectives: life, property and personal security; civil and political rights; economic, social and cultural rights; racial discrimination; rights of women and children; and the US'' violation of human rights against other countries.

The report slammed the US for taking human rights as "a political instrument to interfere in other countries'' internal affairs, defame other nations'' image and seek its own strategic interests."

It says that while advocating "freedom of speech," "freedom of the press" and "Internet freedom," the US government unscrupulously monitors and restricts the citizens'' rights to freedom when it comes to its own interests and needs.

It points out that in 2008, US residents experienced 4.9 million violent crimes, 16.3 million property crimes and 137,000 personal thefts, and the violent crime rate was 19.3 victimizations per 1,000 persons aged 12 or over.

About 30,000 people die from gun-related incidents each year, the report said.

"As the world''s biggest arms seller, its deals have greatly fuelled instability across the world," it added.