China issues white paper on right to development

BEIJING - The Chinese government Thursday issued a white paper on the right to development, expounding on its philosophy, practice and contribution.

The white paper, titled "The Right to Development: China's Philosophy, Practice and Contribution," said that development is the top priority of the Communist Party of China in governance and national revitalization, and the key to resolving all other problems.

It said that China is willing to join the international community to share its philosophy and experience and to boost sound development of global human rights.

According to the white paper, China has lifted 700 million people out of poverty through more than 30 years of reform and opening-up, accounting for more than 70 percent of the global reduction in poverty.

The average life expectancy in the nation had grown from 35 years in 1949 to 76.34 years in 2015, ranking high among the developing countries, the white paper said.

The level of education has also soared. In 1949, more than 80 percent of the national population was illiterate, and the enrollment rate of school-age children was only 20 percent.

In 2015, net enrollment rate of school-age children at the primary school stage was 99.88 percent and that at the senior high school stage was 87 percent. China's higher education has approached the level of medium-developed countries, the white paper added.

China's Human Development Index (HDI) in 2014 ranked 90th among 188 countries, already in the high human development group, it said, citing the "China National Human Development Report 2016" released by the United Nations.