A/HRC/11/25* Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007, held its fourth session from 2 to 13 February 2009. The review of China was held at the 11th meeting on 9 February 2009. The delegation of China was headed by H.E. Mr. LI Baodong, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva. At its meeting held on 11 February 2009, the Working Group adopted the present report on China. 2. On 8 September 2008, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of China: Canada, India, and Nigeria. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to resolution 5/1, the following documents were issued for the review of China: (a) A national report submitted / written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/4/CHN/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/4/CHN/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR, in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/4/CHN/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Czech Republic, Latvia, Liechtenstein and Sweden, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, and United Kingdom was transmitted to China through the troika. These questions are available on the extranet of the UPR. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. At the 10th meeting, on 9 February 2009, H.E. Mr. LI Baodong, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva made an introductory statement. China viewed the UPR exercise with importance. To prepare for China’s national report a special task force composed of members from nearly 30 national legislative, judiciary and administrative departments was established. In order that the report was as comprehensive, objective and authoritative as possible, consultations were held with nearly 20 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and academic institutions, and broad public input was sought via the Internet. 6. In 1949, the People’s Republic of China was founded and the Chinese people won national independence. A fundamental social and political system for the promotion and protection of human righs has been established in China. Since 1978 when reforms and opening-up were launched the living standards of the Chinese people moved from poverty to subsistence and from subsistence to relative prosperity. The number of persons in rural areas living in poverty has fallen from 250 million to over 14 million, and per capita disposable income of urban residents has increased 39 times. China was the first country in the world to meet the poverty reduction target set in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). 7. By the end of 2000 nine-year compulsory education had been made virtually universal throughout the country. Illiteracy had been essentially eliminated among the GE.09-16299 3