Reform, human rights protection go hand-in-hand for China, report finds

China's efforts to intensify comprehensive reforms have?advanced the high-quality development of human rights by further enforcing the protection of people's economic, social and cultural, as well as civil and political rights, a blue book on the development on human rights protections in the country has stated.

With central government last year vowing to advance Chinese-style modernization through further reform and opening-up, human rights protections in the country have also been advanced in a coordinated manner across all fields, according to the recently released Annual Report on China's Human Rights (2025) by the China Society for Human Rights Studies.

According to the report, the reform measures aimed at stimulating and enhancing social vitality have contributed to the development of human rights in removing obstacles to independent and equal development for all citizens. By liberating productive forces and promoting economic development, the measures will provide the necessary material foundation to enhance the level of human rights protection.

The report added that reforms that promote social fairness and justice are conducive to narrowing the gap in human rights protection levels and fostering the more equitable protection of human rights.

Comprehensive reform efforts are dedicated to addressing imbalances and inadequacies in development, improving balance and accessibility in the basic public service system and achieving substantive progress toward common prosperity for all. Such improvements will help reduce disparities between urban and rural areas and enhance the inclusivity of human rights protection.

The report also found that reforms focusing on the coordinated advancement of economic, political, cultural, social and ecological civilization have facilitated systematic and coordinated progress in human rights in different sectors, thereby promoting the comprehensive development of human rights in China.

Such reforms have also emphasized institutional construction and legal safeguards, which will drive the institutionalization and standardization of human rights protections, improve the legal framework for such protection, and establish robust mechanisms to ensure that protection is legally grounded and systematically implemented, enhancing its effectiveness and stability.

The report stated that it is crucial to recognize the challenges that need to be overcome. The international environment is becoming increasingly complex and severe, potentially impacting China's trade, technology and other sectors. Domestically, effective demand remains insufficient, and consumer spending needs further boosting. Some enterprises face operational difficulties while employment and income growth are under pressure. It found that there is room for improvement in government efficiency and law-based administration.

In the face of these severe and complex domestic and international challenges, the Chinese government and people will continue to focus on further deepening reform to promote Chinese-style modernization, which will continue to enhance China's human rights protections, the report added.