China Releases Human Rights Action Plan

BEIJING — China has released its first human rights action plan.

The two-year plan promises the communist government will do more to prevent illegal detention and torture, and to boost the overall living standard of minorities, women, the unemployed and the disabled.

But it also states that a primary goal remains ensuring Chinese people have the right to make money.

China has been criticized by other governments, the UN and activists for aggressively promoting economic reform while falling short on basic human rights such as freedom of speech, religion and the right to a fair trial. But the government points to its accomplishments in raising living standards for hundreds of millions of people.

China drew up the plan as part of preparations for its first examination before the U.N. Human Rights Council earlier this year.