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CONGRESSIONAL-EXECUTIVE COMMISSION ON CHINA 2004 ANNUAL REPORT CONGRESSIONAL-EXECUTIVE COMMISSION CONGRESSIONAL-EXECUTIVE COMMISSION ON CHINA 2004 ANNUAL REPORT I. Executive Summary and List of Recommendations The Commission finds limited progress over the past year in some areas of human rights and rule of law in China, but also finds severe and continuing problems on many of the issues critical to ensuring that its citizens enjoy internationally recognized human rights. Chinese government repression of free religious belief and practice has grown more severe over the past year. The Chinese government has continued its record of violating workers' rights and punishing workers who advocate for change. Chinese authorities continue to expend significant resources to silence their critics and censor information from sources the government cannot control or influence. The Commission notes that China continues to enact legal reforms that may provide the foundation for stronger protection of rights in the future. However, the monopolization of power under a one-party system and the resulting absence of democratic accountability have led to widespread corruption and a loss of faith in government. Together these cascading problems frustrate the efforts of ordinary Chinese citizens to claim their rights under the Constitution and law, and hinder the implementation of legal reforms adopted since 1979. For the rest of the report, please click ###1### (12/03/2004 14:02) |