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   Preface
 I. Current Situation of Energy Development
 II. Strategy and Goals of Energy Development
 III. All-round Promotion of Energy Conservation
 IV. Improving the Energy Supply Capacity
 V. Accelerating the Progress of Energy Technologies
 VI. Coordinating Energy and Environment Development
 VII. Deepening Energy System Reform
 VIII. Strengthening International Cooperation in the Field of Energy
 Conclusion
 Preface
 I. An Inevitable Choice in China's Social Development
 II. A Basic Political System for China
 III. Major Manifestations of Socialist Democracy
 IV. Political Consultation in the Multi-party Cooperation System
 V. Multi-party Cooperation System and Building of State Power
 VI. Multi-party Cooperation System and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
 VII. Multi-party Cooperation System and Modernization
 Conclusion
 Appendix. A Brief Introduction to China's Democratic Parties and Personages Without Party Affiliation
 Appendix: Basic Facts About the 155 Ethnic Autonomous Areas
 Foreword
 Chapter I The Security Situation
 Chapter II National Defense Policy
 Chapter III Revolution in Military Affairs with Chinese Characteristics
 Chapter IV Defense Expenditure and Defense Assets
 Chapter V The Military Service System
 Chapter VI National Defense Mobilization and Reserve Force Building
 Chapter VII Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense
 Chapter VIII The Armed Forces and the People
 Chapter IX International Security Cooperation
 Chapter X Arms Control, Disarmament and Non-Proliferation
 Appendix I Members of the CMC of the CPC
 Appendix II Leaders of the Four Headquarters/Departments of the PLA
 Appendix III Major Military Exchanges with Other Countries (2003-2004)
 Appendix IV Participation in Security Consultations (2003-2004)
 Appendix V Joint Exercises with Foreign Armed Forces (2003-2004)
 Appendix VI Participation in UN Peacekeeping Operations
 Appendix VII Major Military Regulations Promulgated Since 2003
 Foreword
 I. The Present Situation of Mineral Resources and Their Exploration and Exploitation
 II. Targets and Principles for Mineral Resources Protection and Rational Utilization
 III. Increasing the Domestic Capability of Mineral Resources Supply
 IV. Widening the Opening of, and Cooperation in, Mineral Resources Exploration and Exploitation
 V. Achieving the Coordinated Development of Mineral Resources Exploitation and Environmental Protection
 VI. Improving the Management of Mineral Resources
 Foreword
 I. The Status Quo of the "Three Direct Links" Across the Straits and the Problems to Be Solved
 II. Realization of the "Three Direct Links"
 III. The Mainland's Basic Stand and Policies on the "Three Direct Links"
 IV. Explanations on Some Questions Related to the "Three Direct Links"
 Conclusion
 Foreword
 I. China's Basic Stand on Non-Proliferation
 II. Actively Participating in International Non-Proliferation Efforts
 III. Non-Proliferation Export Control System
 IV. Concrete Measures for Non-Proliferation Export Control
 V. Strictly Implementing the Laws and Regulations on Non-Proliferation Export Control
 Conclusion
 Foreword
 Part One: Status and Role of the European Union
 Part Two: China's EU Policy
 Part Three: Strengthen China-EU Cooperation in All Fields
 I. The Political Aspect
 II. The Economic Aspect
 III. The Education, Science-Technology, Culture, Health and other Aspects
 IV. The Social, Judicial and Administrative Aspects
 V. The Military Aspect
 Foreword
 I. The Security Situation
 II. National Defense Policy
 III. The Armed Forces
 IV. National Defense Building
 V. Armed Forces Building
 VI. International Security Cooperation
 VII. Arms Control and Disarmament
 Appendix I Main Military Laws and Regulations Issued Since 2000
 Appendix II Major Military Exchanges with Other Countries in 2001-2002
 Appendix III Participation in Security Consultations in 2001-2002
 Appendix IV Participation in UN Peace-keeping Operations
 Appendix V Chinese Armed Forces’ Participation Since 2000 in Assisting Japan in Handling the Chemical Weapons Abandoned by Japan in China
 Introduction
 I. Aims and Principles
 II. Present Situation
 III. Future Development
 IV. International Cooperation
 Foreword
 I. The Security Situation
 II. National Defense Policy
 III. National Defense Construction
 IV. Armed Forces Building
 V. International Security Cooperation
 VI. Arms Control and Disarmament
 Foreword
 I. The International Security Situation
 II. National Defense Policy
 III. National Defense Construction
 IV. International Security Cooperation
 V. Arms Control and Disarmament
 Foreword
 I. Sustainable Marine Development Strategy
 II. Rational Development and Utilization of Marine Resources
 III. The Protection and Preservationof the Marine Environment
 IV. The Development of Oceanographic Science, Technology and Education
 V. The Implementation of ComprehensiveMarine Management
 VI. International Cooperation in Maritime Affairs
 I.Soaring Trade Between Chinaand the United States
 II.Statistical Difference in Sino-USTrade Balance
 III.Statistics Based on Rules of Origin CannotsAccurately Reflect the Situation of Sino-US Trade Balance
 IV.US Export Control Against China-- a Major Obstacle for Bilateral Trade Balance
 V.Sino-US Economic and Trade Co-operationShows Vast Vistas
 Foreword
 I. Promoting Peace and Developmentfor All Mankind
  II. Military Personnel Reducedby One Million
 III. Maintaining a Low Level ofDefence Spending
 IV. Peaceful Uses for MilitaryIndustrial Technologies
 V. Strict Control over the Transferof Sensitive Materials andMilitary Equipment
 VI. Actively Promoting International Arms Control and Disarmament
 Concluding Remarks
 III. Judicial Guarantee for Human Rights
 Foreword
 Foreword
 III. Judicial Guarantee for Human Rights
 I. People's Rights to Subsistence and Development
 Foreword
 Foreword
 Foreword
 II. Civil and Political Rights
 Foreword
 Concluding Remarks
 Foreword
 .Concluding Remarks
 Foreword
 Foreword
 Conclusion
 Foreword
 Preface
 Foreword
 Foreword
 Preface
 IV. Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
 II. Civil and Political Rights
 Foreword
 Foreword
 Conclusion
 Foreword
 Foreword
 Foreword
 VI. Equal Rights and Special Protection for Ethnic Minorities
 III. Judicial Guarantee for Human Rights
 Foreword
 Preface
 Foreword
 Conclusion
 Foreword
 V. Equal Rights and Special Protection for Ethnic Minorities
 Foreword
 Conclusion
 Preface
 Foreword
 Conclusion
 Foreword
 Foreword
 Conclusion
 Foreword
 Foreword
 Conclusion
 Foreword
 Conclusion
 Preface
 Conclusion
 Conclusion
 Foreword
 Foreword
 Preface
 Preface
 Foreword
 X. Active Participation in International Human Rights Activities
 IX. Guarantee of Human Rights For the Disabled
 VIII. Family Planning and Protection Of Human Rights
 VII. Guarantee of the Rights of The Minority Nationality
 VI. Citizens Enjoy Freedom Of Religious Belief
 V. Guarantee of the Right to Work
 IV. Guarantee of Human Rights In China's Judicial Work
 III. Citizens Enjoy Economic, Cultural and Social Rights
 II. The Chinese People Have Gained Extensive Political Rights
 I. The Right to Subsistence--The Foremost Human Right The Chinese People Long Fight for
 VIII. Employment, Resettlement, Education and Protection for Convicts Who Have Served Their Term and Been Released
 VII. Carrying out the Punishment of Criminals
 VI. Humane Handling of Prisoners in Accordance with the Law
 V. Changing Criminals through Methods of Persuasion
 IV. Legal, Moral, Cultural and Technical Education of Criminals
 III. Reform of Criminals through Labour
 II. Guaranteeing the Rights of Criminals
 I. China's Basic Principles of Criminal Reform
 Part Two XII. Special State Aid for Tibet's Development
 Part Two XI. Protection of Living Environment
 Part Two X. People's Health and Demographic Growth
 Part Two IX. Development of Education and Culture
 Part Two VIII. Freedom of Religious Belief
 Part Two VII. Economic Development and Improvement of Living Standards
 Part Two VI. The People Enjoy Political Rights
 Part Two V. The People Gain Personal Freedom
 Part Two IV. Feudal Serfdom in Old Tibet
 Part One III. The Dalai Clique's Separatist Activities and the Central Government's Policy
 Part One II. Origins of So-Called 'Tibetan Independence'
 Part One I. Ownership of Tibet
 V. Several Questions Involving Taiwan in International Relations
 IV. Relations Across Taiwan Straits: Evolution and Stumbling Blocks
 III. The Chinese Government's Basic Position Regarding Settlement of the Taiwan Question
 II. Origin of the Taiwan Question
 I. Taiwan -- An Inalienable Part of China
 Chapter VIII Active Participation in International Women's Activities
 Chapter VII Organizational Guarantees of the Rights and Interests of Chinese Women
 Chapter VI Equal Status in Marriage and Family Life
 Chapter V Full Advance in Society
 Chapter IV Extensive Participation in Administration Of State and Social Affairs
 Chapter III Equal Rights and Important Role In Economic Sphere
 Chapter II Equal Legal Status
 Chapter I Historic Liberation of Chinese Women
 III. China Has a Complete Law Enforcement System for Intellectual Property Protection
 II. China Has a High-Grade Legal System for Intellectual Property Protection
 I. China's Basic Position Regarding the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights
 VII. The Correct Choice for Human Rights Protection
 VI. Optimization Through Reform and Development
 V. Satisfying the Reproductive Health Needs of People of Child-bearing Age
 IV. Bringing the People to a Common Level of Understanding
 III. Combination of State Guidance with Voluntary Participation by the Masses
 II. A Social Undertaking That Benefits the People
 I. A Strategic Policy That Suits National Conditions
 X. Working Hard to Promote the Healthy Development of International Huma Rights Activities
 IX. Developing the Study of Human Rights and Popularizing the Knowledge of Human Rights
 VIII. Guarantee of the Rights and Interests of the Disabled
 VII. Guarantee of Rights and Interests of Ethnic Minorities
 VI. Protecting the Legitimate Rights and Interests of Women and Children
 V. The Right of Citizens to Education
 IV. The Right to Work of Citizens and the Rights and Interests of Worker.
 III. Judicial Work in Safeguarding Human Rights
 I. People's Right to Existence and Development
 V. China's Welfare Homes for Children
 IV. Protection of Disabled Children
 III. Education for Children
 II. Children's Health and Care
 I. Guarantee of Children's Rights and Interests
 VII. Taking Vigorous Action to Promote International Cooperation in Environmental Protection
 VI. Environmental Science and Technology, and Environmental Publicity and Education
 V. Protection of the Ecological Environment and Biodiversity
 IV. Territorial Control and Rural Environmental Protection
 III. The Prevention and Control of Industrial Pollution and the Comprehensive Improvement of the Urban Environment
 II. Improving the Legal and Administrative Systems Step by Step
 I. The Choice of Implementing a Sustainable Development Strategy
 VII. Deepening Structural Reform and Creating a Favorable Policy Environment for Grain Production and Circulation
 VI. Comprehensively Developing, Utilizing and Protecting Land Resources for the Sustainable Development of Agriculture
 V. Developing Agriculture by Relying on Science, Technology and Education and Changing the Grain Increase Method
 IV. Striving to Improve Production Conditions to Increase the Comprehensive Grain Production Ability
 III. China Can Basically Achieve Self-Sufficiency in Grain Through Self-Reliance
 II. Prospects for China's Consumption Demand for Grain
 I. New China Has Solved the Problem of Feeding Its People
 The Grain Issue in China
 VII. Guarantee of the Rights of Ethnic Minorities
 VI. Legitimate Rights and Interests of Women and Children
 V. Citizens' Rights to Receive Education
 IV. Protection of Workers' Rights
 II. Citizens' Democratic Rights
 V. Protection of the Right to Freedom of Religious Belief for Ethnic Minorities
 IV. Support for Independence and Initiative in Management of Religious Affairs
 III. Judicial and Administrative Guarantees and Supervision of the Freedom of Religious Belief
 II. Legal Protection of the Freedom of Religious Belief
 I. The Present Conditions of Religion in China
 Concluding Remarks
 IV. The Right to Freedom of Religious Belief
 III. The People Enjoy the Rights to Education,Culture and Health Protection
 II. Economic Development and the People's Rights to Existence and Development
 I. Ethnic Regional Autonomy System and the People's Political Rights
 VII. Foreign Exchange and Co - operation in the Field of Human Rights
 VI. Protection of the Rights of Ethnic Groups
 V. Legitimate Rights and Interests of Women and Children
 IV. Citizens' Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
 II. Guarantee of Citizens' Political Rights
 I.People's Rights to Subsistence and development
 Notes:
 V. Preservation and Development of the Cultures of Ethnic Minorities
 IV. Promoting the Common Development of All Ethnic Groups
 III. Regional Autonomy for Ethnic Minorities
 II. Adherence to Equality and Unity Among Ethnic Groups
 I. A United Multi-Ethnic Country
 VI. The Cross-Century Development Prospects for Human Rights in China
 IV. Protection of the Rights of Women and Children
 III. Civil Rights and Political Rights of Citizens Effectively Safeguarded
 II. Great Improvement in the Rights to Subsistence and Development, and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
 I. A Historic Turning Point in the Progress of Human Rights in China
 VII. The News and Publishing, Broadcasting, Film and Television Industries Are Developing Rapidly
 VI. Popular Education Makes a Historic Leap
 V. Tibetan Studies Are Flourishing, and Tibetan Medicine and Pharmacology Have Taken On a New Lease of Life
 IV. Culture and Art Are Being Inherited and Developed in an All-Round Way
 III.Folk Customs and Freedom of Religious Belief Are Respected and Protected
 II.Cultural Relics and Ancient Books and Records Are Well Preserved and Utilized
 I.The Spoken and Written Tibetan Language Is Widely Studied and Used, and Being Developed
 Note
 VII. Developing International Cooperation in Drug Control
 VI. Raising the Consciousness of the Entire People Against Drugs
 V. Treatment and Rehabilitation
 IV. Exercising Strict Control over the Precursor Chemicals
 III. Cracking Down on Drug-related Crimes
 II. Constantly Strengthening Drug Control Legislation
 I.Sticking to the Position of Strict Drug Control
 IV. Guarantee Measures
 III. Plan of Action
 II. Targets and Principles
 I Current Situation and Prospect
 VII. Actively Carrying Out International Exchanges and Cooperation in the Realm of Human Rights
 V. Protection of Women and Children's Rights
 IV. The Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of Citizens
 II. The Guarantee of Citizens' Political Rights
 I. The Improvement of the People's Rights to Subsistence and Development
 V.The Aid-the-Rural-Poor Program in the Early Period of the 21st Century
 IV.The Aid-the-Poor Program for the Special Groups Among the Impoverished
 III.Major Contents and Channels of the Aid-the-Poor Program
 II.Policy Guarantee for the Aid-the-Poor Program
 I.The Course and Achievements of the Aid-the-Poor Program
 III. The Historical Inevitability of Tibet's Modernization
 II. Tibet's Modernization Achievements
 I. The Rapid Social Development in Tibet
 IV. Development in the Early Period of the 21st Century
 III. The Establishment of a Social Security System
 II. Formation of New Labor Relations
 I.Overall Stability in Employment Situation
 V. The Strategic Choice for Sustainable Development
 IV. Building an Ecology-Friendly Railway Line -- the Qinghai-Tibet Railway
 III. Ecological Improvement and Environmental Protection amid Economic Development
 II. Ecological Improvement and Biodiversity Protection
 I. Progress of the Ecological Improvement and Environmental Protection Work in Tibet
 III. Human Rights in Name, Hegemonism In Reality
 II. Confusing Right and Wrong and Calling Protection An "Abuse" of Human Rights
 I. Distorting Facts to Deceive the World Public Opinion
 VI. Improving the Management of Mineral Resources
 V. Achieving the Coordinated Development of Mineral Resources Exploitation and Environmental Protection
 IV. Widening the Opening of, and Cooperation in, Mineral Resources Exploration and Exploitation
 III. Increasing the Domestic Capability of Mineral Resources Supply
 II. Targets and Principles for Mineral Resources Protection and Rational Utilization
 I. The Present Situation of Mineral Resources and Exploration and Exploitation of the Resources
 VIII. International Exchanges and Cooperation in Human Rights
 VII. The Rights and Interests of the Disabled
 VI. Equal Rights and Special Protection for Ethnic Minorities
 V. The Rights and Interests of Women and Children
 III.Judicial Guarantee for Human Rights
 I. The People's Rights to Subsistence and Development
 VI. Employment Prospects for the Early Part of the 21st Century
 V. Employment of Women, Youth and Disabled People
 IV. Employment of Rural Workforce
 III. Improving the Quality of the Workforce
 II. Proactive Employment Policy
 I. Basic Employment Situation
 V. Regional Ethnic Autonomy Is the Fundamental Guarantee for Tibetan People As Masters of Their Own Affairs
 IV. The Tibetan People Have the Freedom to Inherit and Develop Their Traditional Culture and to Practice Their Religious Belief
 III. The Tibetan People Have Full Decision-making Power in Economic and Social Development
 II. The Tibetan People Enjoy Full Political Right of Autonomy
 I. The Establishment and Development of Regional Ethnic Autonomy in Tibet
 X. Social Security in Rural Areas
 IX. Housing Security
 VIII. Social Relief
 VII. Special Care and Placement
 VI. Social Welfare
 V. Maternity Insurance
 IV. Insurance for Work-related Injuries
 III. Medical Insurance
 II. Unemployment Insurance
 I. Old-age Insurance
 X. Arms Control, Disarmament and Non- Proliferation
 IX. International Security Cooperation
 VIII.The Armed Forces and the People
 VII. Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense
 VI. National Defense Mobilization and Reserve Force Building
 V. The Military Service System
 IV. Defense Expenditure and Defense Assets
 III. Revolution in Military Affairs with Chinese Characteristics
 II. National Defense Policy
 I. The Security Situation
 V. Historical Development of Various Undertakings in Ethnic Autonomous Areas
 IV. The Central Government's Support and Assistance for Ethnic Autonomous Areas
 III. The Right of Self-Government of Ethnic Autonomous Areas
 II. The Political Status of Regional Autonomy for Ethnic Minorities and the Establishment of Ethnic Autonomous Areas
 I. A Unified Multi-Ethnic State, and Regional Autonomy for Ethnic Minorities
 VII. International Exchanges and Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights
 VI. The Rights and Interests of the Disabled
 V. Equal Rights and Special Protection for Ethnic Minorities
 IV. Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
 III. Judicial Guarantee for Human Rights
 II. Civil and Political Rights
 I. People's Rights to Subsistence and Development
 IX. Judicial Protection of Intellectual Property Rights
 VIII. Public Security Organs Act on Criminal Infringement on Intellectual Property Rights
 VII. Customs Protection of Intellectual Property Rights
 VI. Protection of New Varieties of Agricultural and Forestry Plants
 V. Intellectual Property Rights Protection for Audio and Video Products
 IV. Copyright Protection
 III. Trademark Protection
 II. Patent Protection
 I. Basic Situation of the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights
 IX. Legal Guarantees of Women's Rights and Interests
 VIII. Women and the Environment
 VII. Women, Marriage and the Family
 VI. Women and Health
 V. Women and Education
 IV. Women's Participation in Decision Making and Management
 III. Women and Poverty Elimination
 II. Women and the Economy
 I. State Mechanism to Promote Gender Equality and Development of Women
 Annex III: Agreements on Disarmament and Confidence-Building Measures Between China and Relevant Countries
 Annex II: Laws and Regulations of China on Non-Proliferation Export Control
 Annex I: List of Arms Control, Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Treaties That China Has Joined
 VI. Tightening Non-Proliferation Export Control
 V. Actively Participating in International Non-Proliferation Efforts
 IV. Committed to National and Regional Disarmament
 III. Participating in and Promoting International Arms Control and Disarmament Process
 II. China's Basic Policy and Position
 I. International Security and Arms Control Situation
 X. Judicial Democracy
 IX. Government Democracy
 VIII. The Democratic Rule by the Communist Party of China
 VII. Respecting and Safeguarding Human Rights
 VI. Grassroots Democracy in Urban and Rural Areas
 V. The System of Ethnic Regional Autonomy
 IV. The System of Multi-Party Cooperation and Political Consultation Under the Leadership of the CPC
 III. The People's Congress System
 II. The CPC Led the People to Become Masters of the State
 I. A Choice Suited to China's Conditions
 V. Building a Harmonious World of Sustained Peace and Common Prosperity
 IV. Seeking Mutual Benefit and Common Development with Other Countries
 III. Developing by Relying on Its Own Strength, Reform and Innovation
 II. Promoting World Peace and Development with China's Own Growth
 I. Peaceful Development Is the Inevitable Way for China's Modernization
 X. International Cooperation in Environmental Protection
 IX. Environmental Science and Technology, Industry and Public Participation
 VIII. Environmental Impact Assessment
 VII. Economic Policy and Investment Concerning the Environment
 VI. Ecological Protection and Construction
 V. Protection of the Rural Environment
 IV. Protection of the Urban Environment
 III. Pollution Control in Key Regions
 II. Prevention and Control of Industrial Pollution
 I. Environmental Protection Legislation and System
 VII. Safeguarding Elderly People's Legitimate Rights and Interests
 VI. Participation in Social Development
 V. Cultural Education for the Aged
 IV. Social Services for an Ageing Society
 III. Health and Medical Care for the Aged
 II. Old-age Security System
 I. State Mechanism of Undertakings for the Aged
 Foreword
 X. State Support for the Development of Xinjiang
 IX. Establishment, Development and Role of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps
 VIII. Upholding Equality and Unity Among Ethnic Groups, and Freedom of Religious Belief
 VII. The People's Living Standard and Quality of Life Have Been Enhanced
 VI. Progress in Education, Science and Technology, Culture and Health Work
 V. The Economic Development of Xinjiang After the Founding of New China
 IV. Origin of the "East Turkistan" Issue
 III. The Administration of Xinjiang by the Successive Central Governments
 II. Diverse Religions Coexist and Spread in Xinjiang
 I. Xinjiang Has Been a Multi-ethnic Region Since Ancient Times
 Conclusion
 V. International Exchanges and Cooperation Regarding Food Safety
 IV. Law Regime and Technological Guarantee System for Food Safety
 III. Supervision of Imported and Exported Food
 II. Food Safety Regulatory System and Work
 I. Food Production and Food Quality
 Preface

 
 China A-Z HOME
V. China's Welfare Homes for Children
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China's welfare homes for children play a special role in the country's efforts to care for children. The welfare homes and some social welfare institutions that also accept orphans oer guardianship and rearing mainly to children who have lost their parents during natural disasters or accidents, and also to those abandoned by their parents because they are seriously or almost irremediably disabled mentally or physically, or because they have contracted a serious illness. Currently, there are about 20,000 such children under the guardianship and rearing of welfare institutions, accounting for five per one hundred thousand of the total number of juveniles in China.

Rearing Under Guardianship

In China, such rearing and emplacement of orphans or children abandoned for physical disability are under the charge of civil administration departments.

These are the ways that orphans are reared under guardianship in China: social welfare institutions set up by the government or collectives oer guardianship and rearing to some of the orphans till their adult age and give life support to idiotic and seriously disabled orphans under their care; some orphans are brought up in citizens' homes under the guardianship of welfare institutions; some orphans are adopted by domestic citizens and a small number by foreign citizens according to relevant laws.

By the end of 1995, there were a total of 73 welfare homes for children set up by local governments, oering guardianship and rearing to 8,900 orphans and abandoned ill or disabled children. More than 1,200 social welfare institutions in urban areas and some homes for the aged in rural areas have also oered guardianship and rearing to orphans and abandoned ill or disabled children. Some orphans and abandoned ill or disabled children are under the care of or legally adopted by common people. Moreover, there are a total of nearly ten thousand organizations serving orphans and disabled persons in communities throughout China, such as schools for orphans, rehabilitation centers, training classes for mentally retarded children, rehabilitation stations for disabled children and community rehabilitation stations, as well as about a hundred social welfare institutions established by individuals or organizations.

Apart from welfare institutions set up by the government and the society to take care of orphans and abandoned children, China encourages citizens to adopt these children so that they can enjoy a normal family life and grow up sound of body and mind. In order to protect legal adoption and the legal rights of the persons concerned, and to benefit the care and growth of adopted juveniles, the NPC Standing Committee of China stipulated the Adoption Law. According to this law, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Civil Affairs, with the approval of the State Council, published for implementation the Procedures for the Adoption of Children by Foreigners in the People's Republic of China. The adoption of orphans in China has laws to go by and is in full accord with the principles put forward by the United Nations in the Convention on the Rights of Children.

All adoption procedures are done strictly according to law. Both Chinese citizens and foreigners shall meet the conditions required by law and go through all necessary procedures. While handling the adoption procedures for the person concerned, the related departments of the Chinese Government charge the fees strictly according to law. As required by law, the adoptor shall pay to the welfare home the cost for upbringing of the adoptee, which will then be used to improve living conditions for other children in the institution. This cost is determined mainly through negotiations between the two parties.

Funds

Most of the funds for China's welfare homes for children come from appropriations by state and local financial departments (the funds being budgeted as full operating expenses for welfare homes in the financial report of each year), supplemented by other means, such as collective fund raising, welfare lotteries and donations. From 1990 to 1994, local financial departments had appropriated a total of 515 million yuan directly to urban welfare homes for children (of this total, 40 percent being used directly for the livelihood of the children), at an annual increase rate of 25.5 percent, thus guaranteeing the basic needs of the children. During this period, the state appropriated 740 million yuan specially for the improvement of welfare homes for children, including 240 million yuan raised from welfare lotteries published by central and local governments, 150 million yuan from local financial departments and 350 million yuan from donations.

The funds received by each welfare home around the country are different due to the various levels of economic development in each area. In economically developed areas, the average expense per child per month is 400 to 500 yuan while in the less developed areas, the amount is 200 to 300 yuan. Living expense of the children in the welfare homes is usually no lower than that of local citizens, in view of the fact that prices are comparatively low in China.

Administrative System

China's welfare homes for children have adopted a fairly complete, systematic administrative system. The system requires that the children shall be under a two to three month observation period before they are accepted. During the observation period the related departments search for the child's parents or confirm his or her identification while at the same time the child is given a comprehensive physical examination and isolation is practiced on children suffering from infectious diseases. The system also requires that there shall be a certain number of specialized personnel in each welfare home -- the specialized personnel in first-level state welfare homes shall account for above 70 percent, and in second-level, above 65 percent, of the total welfare home staff. Each welfare home for children has drawn up strict rules and regulations concerning every aspect of internal management and of the children's lives -- upbringing, nursing, medical care, rehabilitation, scientific research, community rehabilitation, training, and supporting service.

To supervise the implementation of these administrative procedures, the civil affairs departments have carried out regular inspections. Units that perform well are commended and those units or individuals who seriously violate regulations are penalized.

The Principle of Combining Upbringing,
Treatment and Education

The welfare homes for children in China practice the principle of combining upbringing, treatment and education.

Due to the special care given to China's helpless orphans and abandoned ill or disabled children, many of them have grown up and found jobs. With help from the government and people from all circles, the more than 4,200 orphans left in the 1976 Tangshan earthquake -- from a few months to 16 years old, except for those adopted by their relatives -- were all settled in the Xingtai Welfare Home for Children and at orphans' schools in Tangshan and Shijiazhuang. Most of their living and study expenses were borne by the state. In October 1995, Wang An, the last ``Tangshan earthquake orphan,'' left the welfare home that had oered him guardianship and rearing to work in a hospital. The Jilin Provincial Welfare Home for Children in Changchun has brought up 2,478 orphans since its establishment 38 years ago.

When they come to welfare homes, most children are suffering from serious illness or inherent disabilities. Welfare homes have paid much attention to treating these children to the most degree. Ill or disabled children in serious condition are sent to local hospitals for better treatment. In 1995, the number of the children nursed back to health exceeded 200. Welfare homes for children boast doctors, rehabilitators, nutritionists, as well as clinics, rehabilitation rooms, emergency treatment rooms, laboratories and pharmacies, giving timely treatment to ailing children. With help from the government and from people in all walks of life, many welfare homes own fairly advanced medical equipment to meet the basic needs of their children. At present, China has a professional staff who are devoted to the well-being of orphans and disabled children; medical personnel account for 32 percent of the total welfare home staff.

Since 1995, the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Ministry of Pub"ilic Health have jointly launched health projects for disabled orphans throughout the country. Under the project, large hospitals give free hospitalization to orphans who need to undergo operations, and charge half of the normal surgical operation and treatment fees. Disabled children in welfare homes take part in various rehabilitation training programs, and some of them have recovered or basically recovered from disability.

At welfare homes, children with normal intelligence, no matter if they are physically handicapped or not, receive compulsory education like other children. Blind, deaf and mentally retarded children are sent to special education schools. In addition, the state has set up over 30 schools especially for orphans. These schools educate children according to their physical and mental abilities and characteristics; some schools even combine compulsory education with vocational education to enhance the students' career opportunities. For seriously disabled children, every welfare home has set up a special education class that teaches self-sufficiency. In 1989, the government established a separate fund for special education. In 1995, the fund totalled 23 million yuan, of which 1.1 million yuan was appropriated to special education classes at welfare homes.

Mass Movements to Help Orphans

The Chinese Government encourages activities to help orphans and has called upon the whole society to show concern for orphans. In recent years, mass movements to help orphans have blossomed.

-- A mass campaign encouraging kindness to orphans is now wide"ispread and volunteers are numerous. In Shanghai and Beijing, campaigns such as ``Let kind-hearted people give orphans a big hug,'' ``Offer your affections to orphans and disabled children and bring health to them,'' ``Help orphans in every way'' and ``Link your hearts to orphans' hearts'' are enthusiastically responded to by people from all walks of life. In these campaigns, many urban families take children from children's welfare institutions and let them stay in their homes during holidays or at ordinary times so that these children can enjoy the warmth and affection of a family.

-- The China Charity Federation was established to promote charities and extensively collect donations. By the end of 1995, the China Charity Federation had recruited 44 local organizations throughout China as group members and it had collected donations of over 100 million yuan. A considerable amount of the money was used to support orphans in vocational trainings and perform corrective surgical operations on disabled children.

-- People from all walks of life show much concern for children's welfare institutions. They donate money and materials to help the institutions improve their conditions. This allows the institutions to improve the quality of their care and education. Welfare funds for orphans have been established in Qingdao, Shandong Province, Cele County in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and other places. In 1994 and 1995 the Shanghai Municipal Welfare Home for Children received 4.4 million yuan in donations. At present, 8,000 orphans throughout China are financially supported in their school education.

-- Individuals are becoming ever more enthusiastic about running children's welfare homes and non-governmental welfare homes are on the increase. In Guangzhou the number of beds in social welfare institutions run by individuals now account for 10 percent of all social welfare institution beds.

China has made great efforts to support the survival, protection and development of children. The UNICEF, UNESCO, WHO and other international organizations and public figures all made positive comments on China's achievements in this connection. Of course, the Chinese Government is sober about the fact that since China is a developing country with a large population and since its economic foundation is still comparatively weak, its per capita income is in a rather rear position in the world per capita income listings and its development level is unbalanced between city and countryside and between different areas, there is much difficulty in the work for children and therefore much room for improvement. Take medical care for children, for example. The incidence of disease among children in the countryside is high and in some poor areas children's nutrition is below the normal level. As for children's education, the teaching conditions in some outlying and poor areas are not up to par and the phenonmenon of primary and middle school children discontinuing their studies still exists. As for the protection of disabled children, the state is not able to amass in a short period enough money to fully satisfy the actual needs in the protection of these children. Since the level of economic development varies from area to area, some welfare homes are better run than others with economic diculties. Therefore, as China develops economically and socially, an important task facing the Chinese Government is to constantly improve children's conditions and promote activities and programs to help children. The Chinese Government will continue to work persistently toward this end, as it has done in the past, and the cause of children will surely develop further as a result.


Appendix

The Description and Accusations About
China's Children's Welfare Institutions by
Britain's Channel Four and the Human Rights
Watch/Asia Do Not Hold Water

I

The British commercial television station Channel Four broadcast ``Secret Asia, the Dying Rooms'' on June 14, 1995, and ``Return to the Dying Rooms'' (a refurbished version of the former) on January 9, 1996. Using clumsy tricks, the programs stated that in China's children's welfare homes there were dying rooms where children were abused to death. An investigation proved that the so-called dying rooms in the program ``Secret Asia, the Dying Rooms'' refer actually to a warehouse in the Huangshi City Social Welfare Home in Hubei Province and that the major part of the program is fabricated.

Kate Blewett, producer of the program, and others visited the Huangshi welfare home, disguising themselves as staff members of the American Children's Fund. After Blewett, et al arrived, recalled Liu Qiuliang, nurse of the welfare home, she found one of the foreigners, a man, filming in a warehouse at the back of the courtyard. At that time, there were some old beds in that warehouse and some other articles were lying around. The cameraman untied the articles, spread them on the bed and began to shoot. Liu came to the warehouse and asked him what he was doing. He just grunted and came out. This is the warehouse which was later labeled as the ``dying rooms'' in the television program. The ``Dying Rooms'' claimed that in 1994 more than 80 children died in that house. This is sheer fabrication. The welfare home's statistics record and the list of children taken in or identified and adopted shows that there were 161 children in the institution in 1994 and 128 were adopted later in the year. How come more than 80 children died? Claiming that the empty beds formerly used by children who were later adopted or identified and so left the welfare home were the beds of dead children and further referring to the warehouse as the ``dying rooms'' is deliberate distortion of facts.

The ``Dying Rooms'' recounted a story about a ``nameless,'' seriously ill child who was left unattended without any medical treatment, waiting for death. The shots were taken by Blewett and others at Duanzhou District Welfare Home, Zhaoqing City, Guangdong Province. As far as we know, the sick child was found on February 20, 1995 on the street by someone from a local police station; the child was then sent to the welfare home. The child was seriously ill when admitted to the welfare home, and the welfare home immediately gave the child medical treatment. Yang Jinying, the nurse who was responsible for looking after the ``nameless'' child, said that after Blewett and others entered the sick child's room, they told Yang to stay outside. Contrary to fact, the television program claimed that nurses hardly ever went into that room. It was winter and after Blewett and company entered the room, they removed the sick child's warm cotton-batting quilt and unbuttoned the latter's clothes. Yang tried to stop them. She said that it was cold and the child was sick. But Blewett said it did not matter. Wearing a fur coat, Blewett had the sick child stripped to the waist and shot for 15 to 20 minutes. After they finished shooting, they left the child undressed and didn't even cover the latter with the quilt. The sick child later died despite medical treatment. By playing up the condition of the sick child, Blewett and others intended to say that girls were systematically abused to death in the welfare homes. Using wanton fabrication to cheat and mislead viewers cannot but arouse indignation among the people.

The ``Dying Rooms'' made up another ``miserable story'' about a woman's forced abortion. It said that when the police were informed that a certain woman was pregnant with her second child (without having obtained prior permission), she was forced to have an abortion and a sterilization operation. The facts are as follows: The woman, named Xie Lianfeng, lives in Jinyang Village, Yangshuo, Guangxi. Blewett and company followed Xie's mother-in-law to Xie's home and asked Xie how many children she had. When Xie told them she had a boy and a girl, Blewett and others asked if she could have any more children. Xie answered, ``I had a ligation of the oviduct. I cannot bear children now.'' Xie said that she had never had an abortion, nor had her two sisters-in-law who lived with her. When the kind-hearted and honest Xie was told how Blewett, et al distorted her story, she said furiously, ``They are talking rubbish!''

Jiang Zhenghua, council member of the IUSSP, pointed out, ``As far as what we have seen is concerned, of the many things described in the telefilm some are sheerly concocted out of thin air and some are distortions. I felt strange when I saw the film. How could an institution which parades professional ethics for news coverage have produced such a film. Many of my scholar friends are also furious about the film.''

Britt-Marie Nygren, chief executive of the Family Association for Intercountry Adoption, Sweden, said, ``We were furious after we watched this film. There are 130 families in our association that have visited China and adopted children there. Many of them think that this film is an unjust report on China's welfare homes....I have visited many countries and seen their institutions responsible for adoption, so I can compare the conditions at institutions in different countries. That's why I reacted that way to this film's unjust reporting of the situation in China's welfare homes.''

Blewett and others may fabricate lies to cheat some people for sometime, but not for a long time. China, which has opened its door to the outside world, now receives millions of foreign visitors every year. They have opportunities to see the true situation, one which is completely contrary to what's described in the ``Dying Rooms.''

II

The Human Rights Watch/Asia made a gratuitous accusation in its report, published on January 7, 1996, on the situation of children's welfare homes in China. Many parts of the report are cooked up based on distorted and exaggerated matters.

The censure of the report on the ``maltreatment'' of disabled children by the Shanghai Municipal Welfare Home for Children is not based on facts. The Shanghai children's welfare home is a social welfare charity institution directed by the Shanghai Municipal Government. The institution now oers guardianship and rearing to more than 500 children, most of whom are disabled, including over 100 disabled children entrusted to its care by the society. It has a staff of 320 members, including 42 medical personnel, 23 teachers and 220 nurses. The orphans in the welfare home receive food, medical treatment and education. Regarding the food supply for the orphans, the emphasis is placed on nutrition and nursing; the food menu, designed to meet the needs of growing children, is worked out by a nutritionist according to the physical conditions and ages of the orphans. As a result, the nutritional status of the children is good overall. With regard to medical care and rehabilitation, the welfare home has set up an in-patient department and a children's rehabilitation center. Sick children are taken care of in the welfare home or sent to larger hospitals in the city for treatment, and physical check-ups are conducted for those recovered from illness twice a year. Those who are suitable for rectification are sent to the city's major hospitals to receive the operation. In the last two years 87 disabled children have received surgical operations. Rehabilitative training has been practiced on children suffering from impaired or abnormal motion, with the recovery rate reaching 90 percent.

In education, school-age children with physical deformities but normal mental conditions are sent, at the welfare home's expense, to study in ordinary primary or middle schools, while the blind and deaf-mutes are sent to special schools. There are 32 children who study outside the welfare home. In order to strengthen their education, two teachers are designated to instruct and take care of them after class. In addition, funded by the public, the welfare home has set up a school with 2,500 square meters of floor space and a sportsground of 1,200 square meters to provide the orphaned and disabled children who can not go out to study in ordinary schools with an excellent education environment. Judging from the above, the legal rights of the disabled in the Shanghai children's welfare home are well protected.

The Human Rights Watch/Asia said many parts of its report were written according to data provided by a woman named Zhang Shuyun. It was learned, after investigation, that Zhang Shuyun came to the Shanghai Municipal Welfare Home for Children in September 1988 to work as a laboratory tech"inician for testing liver functions; she left the job in June 1993. During her time there she was criticized a great deal by her leaders for not setting her mind to her work and for disobedience regarding her work arrangement. For this, she harbored resentment and, while she was still an employee of the institution, resorted to fabricating a story about the ``problems'' that existed in the welfare home. After a careful investigation, the allegations present in her report were refuted by the relevant department in Shanghai, but she still quibbled over it, continuing to make up and spread rumors about the leaders of the welfare home and launching personal attacks against them. Dozens of staff members expressed their indignation and jointly criticized her several times. When the party concerned in the matter brought a lawsuit to the court, Zhang Shuyun resigned her post and left for the United States via Hong Kong. In the United States, Zhang continued her prevaricating, spewing stories slandering the work in the Shanghai children's welfare home. Obviously, she did all this with ulterior motives. How can people give credence to the materials provided by such a person for the purpose of slandering China's welfare institutions?

The Human Rights Watch/Asia in its report plays up the photograph of a sick child, claiming the death of the child was caused by his being maltreated in the welfare home. It was learned, after investigation, that the child, given the name of Jianxun by the welfare home, suffered a serious illness caused by mental retardation; after he entered the welfare home, on February 24, 1988, he put on weight under meticulous care and medical treatment. Later, his illness deteriorated and affected the vomiting center, which caused frequent vomiting after feeding. As a result, the patient grew thinner and thinner, but the doctors still persevered in their efforts, feeding him milk and giving intravenous injections. However, because of the serious handicap in his assimilating function, the treatment ended in failure and he died on July 17, 1992. The patient's medical treatment and care can be documented by the medical records kept. Han Weicheng, who was the principal of the children's welfare home at that time and himself a physician with 11 years standing, states that Jianxun's malnutrition was caused by malabsorption resultant from diseases of the central nervous system, certainly not by starvation. That the death of Jianxun was due to deliberate starvation, as claimed by the Human Rights Watch/Asia and Zhang Shuyun, is just a story made up by them to cheat and fool the public.

As for the scene in the photograph where Jianxun's hands are tied up and his chest exposed: Zhou Zhuqing, the present principal, and Han Weicheng, the former principal, of the welfare home deny this ever occurred, pointing out that it would have been utterly illogical to treat Jianxun like that, as there was no need to take any protective, restraining measures on this patient, who was very weak; and there were no signs that he would take any actions to injure himself. Even if there was a case in which a patient needed to be restrained, it would be handled strictly by regular medical means. There has never been a case at the Shanghai children's welfare home in which a patient was tied up with ropes. This photograph was obviously arranged. An investigation into Zhang Shuyun's history shows that she was criticized by her leaders and colleagues at the Shanghai children's welfare home due to her work quality. Later it was found that she often directed one of the young orphans at the welfare home, Ai Ming, to take photographs for her in secret. Before taking pictures Ai Ming put sick children in special poses and asked two bigger children Zhan and Zhai to help him. Zhan later reported that the camera had been supplied by Zhang Shuyun and that Zhai had been told to help to unfasten the clothes of the sick children. Therefore, it is Zhang Shuyun who knows most clearly how the photograph published by the Human Rights Watch/Asia was produced. Would any upright and decent person adopt such despicable means and create such spurious stories and rumors?

The Human Rights Watch/Asia report also alleges that the Shanghai Municipal Welfare Home for Children maltreated their children by transferring dozens of the seriously sick orphans to the Shanghai Second Social Welfare Home on Chongming Island. The fact is that this occurred when the old houses of the children's welfare home needed large-scale renovation. As a result, some of the orphans were sent to the social welfare home temporarily, which was only normal. In fact, the same thing had happened before. Once, for instance, when the houses of a social welfare home for the aged in Shanghai needed major repair, some of the seniors there were transferred to the Shanghai Municipal Welfare Home for Children. Is this the maltreatment of children? The children in the Shanghai children's welfare home are transferred when they grow up at the age of 16. Some are sent out to take up jobs, while some, whose mental retardation prevents them from taking up jobs, are sent to four other welfare institutions in the city or on Chongming Island, the one on Chongming taking in more than those in Shanghai. Obviously, the claim that children with serious illnesses were sent to the social welfare home on Chongming Island, which is alleged in the Human Rights Watch/Asia report, is sheer nonsense.

The report also says that most of the funds slated for China's welfare homes for children are used as sta salaries and bonuses -- and only a small part is used for buying food, clothing and other daily necessities of the children. In fact, the sum for bringing up children in urban welfare institutions of various kinds in China allocated by China's financial departments at different levels in 1994, for instance, totalled 169 million yuan, of which about 40 percent was used for the living expenses of the orphans and disabled children; about 20 percent was spent on equipment maintenance, staff training and daily operating expenses; finally, about 40 percent was used for staff salaries and bonuses and for retirement pensions. From the above figures it can be clearly seen that the claim that most of the funds were used for salaries and bonuses is inaccurate. Moreover, the average monthly living expenses for each child in urban welfare institutions in 1994 was 281.7 yuan, while that for each urban citizen was 264.9 yuan. This shows that the average daily expense for each child in the welfare institutions for buying daily necessities was higher than that of each urban citizen. The accusation of the Human Rights Watch/Asia, therefore, has no ground to stand on.

On January 8, 1996, nearly 30 reporters from 20 news agencies from the United States, Britain, Germany and other countries went to visit the Shanghai Municipal Welfare Home for Children. There they were shown around and talked with some of its staff members for four hours. On January 25, officials from the consulates general in Shanghai of ten countries, including the United States, Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark and Japan, visited the Shanghai Second Social Welfare Home. Afterward, American reporters visited it too. What they saw and understood is completely different from that described in the report published by the Human Rights Watch/Asia. When faced with the facts, a lie is always nothing but a lie. Therefore, the description of China's welfare institutions and the accusations hurled at them in the Human Rights Watch/Asia report and the ``Dying Rooms'' telefilm shown by the British commercial TV station Channel Four inevitably have met with criticism and condemnation from people in the United States, Britain and many other countries.

China's children's welfare homes accept visitors and welcome the exchange of experiences as well as cooperation with other countries. Nearly every day people go to visit these institutions; some work as volunteers. It is neither reasonable nor responsible that governments and political figures in some countries should denounce the Chinese Government merely on the basis of the report cooked up and dished out by the Human Rights Watch/Asia.

    

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