A/HRC/11/25* safeguards concerning the application of the death penalty. This being a subject to which it attaches the utmost importance, Mexico recommended that China that consider positively declaring a moratorium on the application of the death penalty with a view to abolishing it. 39. Sri Lanka, noting that 60 years previously Mao Zedong announced to the world that the Chinese people had stood up, expressed pride that today the Chinese people are standing ever taller. It cited the political and social revolution of 1949 and the economic modernization revolution of 1978. It noted that China has ensured the political rights of its people, the rights of independence, self-determination, sovereignty, and the social and economic right to freedom from feudal exploitation and to the satisfaction of material needs. Sri Lanka rejected malignant criticisms by those who tore China into little pieces in the period of colonialism and semi-colonialism and who forced the habit of opium on Chinese people. It rejected criticism regarding Tibet, which Sri Lanka considers an inalienable province of China. It recommended (a) making more widely available to the world China’s experience in combining a strong State with ethnic regional autonomy; (b) making available in international languages to the rest of the world its experience in economic revolution, modernization and in satisfying the material needs of an enormous rural population. 40. South Africa paid tribute to the unprecedented human solidarity and support extended by China to its struggle against the crime of apartheid. It also praised China for hosting the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995, which led to the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action. It welcomed China’s achievement of the MDGs in the areas of primary education, including meeting the target for eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education and reducing of the under-5 mortality rate by two-thirds. It also welcomed China’s collaboration with OHCHR particularly the series of exchanges and cooperation projects in the field of human rights. It praised China’s commitment to the total eradication of and its continued support for the successful outcome of the Durban Review Conference by extending the much-needed financial support. While being mindful that China, like all developing countries, has some way to go in fulfilling its human rights obligations, South Africa recommended that the Government (a) intensify its efforts to eradicate poverty, ,improve its health infrastructure, including access to health services especially for vulnerable groups like women, children, the elderly, the disabled and ethnic minorities, and foster civil-society participation; and (b) intensify its engagement with the international community to exchange best practices and cooperation on law enforcement supervision and training with a view to contributing to its judicial reform processes on the basis of equality and mutual respect. 41. Saudi Arabia appreciated China’s valuable information and clear statements and its efforts to promote and protect human rights. China had acceded to more than 25 human rights instruments, including six core human rights conventions. It has implemented its international human rights obligations and submitted its periodic reports to United Nations treaty bodies regarding implementation of the instruments concerned. That was a clear indication of China’s acceptance of international responsibility and political will and a commitment to promote human rights. China’s policy of dialogue and constructive cooperation with OHCHR and other United Nations agencies, its invitations to various United Nations officials to visit the country regarding civil and political rights and its interaction with mandate holders and the facilitation of their work were further proof of its political will to protect and promote human rights. In view of that and the invitations extended by China, Saudi Arabia recommended that China to invite other Special Rapporteurs dealing with economic and social rights to visit the country. 42. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland welcomed progress on economic, social and cultural rights, progress on the permanent relaxation of regulations on reporting by foreign correspondents in China, and progress on reforming administration of 10 GE. 09-16299