A/HRC/11/25* prudently push forward reform of re-education through labour according to its national realities. 46. Cuba stated that the millennium-long history and hard work of China would put those countries on shame to criticize China. It noted that changes had been sweeping in China from the devastating Opium War and the situation in Hong Kong, and Marco Polo’s exploration, to the celebration of the Olympics. It further noted that in 1949, the Chinese people decided to take the path of emancipation and socialism, through which Cuba shared China’s aspirations, hopes, achievements and challenges. It noted China’s efforts aimed at ensuring that people can benefit from prosperity and wellbeing and that lifted millions of people out of poverty and fed more than one billion people. It further noted that the Chinese people had been obliged to enforce severe laws against activities aimed at destroying the regime. Cuba recommended that China: (a) continue its efforts for the promotion and protection of human rights and also for the legitimate interests of organisations and individuals work faithfully to uphold the human rights of the Chinese people; and (b) maintain, in strict compliance of law, to avoid the impunity for people who are qualifying themselves as human rights defenders with the objective of attacking the interests of the state and the people of China. 47. Ghana appreciated the important contribution and commitment of China to the work of the Human Rights Council and viewed positively the Government’s efforts to further human rights within its vast country and multi-ethnic society. It praised several commendable achievements of China including the reduction of the number of persons in rural areas living in extreme poverty. It also noted the attainment, ahead of schedule, of the targets set in the Millennium Development Goals in the areas of poverty reduction, primary education, and a two-third reduction of the under-five mortality rate. It noted that the Government identified the measures it needed to take to address the challenges. Ghana requested further information regarding how the Government intends to achieve the goals of creating 24 million jobs in cities and towns each year in the light of the current global financial crisis. 48. Mozambique commended China’s extraordinary achievements in development, education, health and adequate housing, among others, and China’s efforts at promoting gender equality, highlighting the promulgation of a Program for the Development of Women, spanning 1995 to 2010, which outlines the priorities and indicators for women’s development. It noted more than 20 per cent of China’s parliament is made up of women and the labour market is 45 per cent female, higher than the world average. It noted that China has already met its MDG target of eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary education. It recommended that China (a) continue the efforts aimed at further enhancing the status of women and gradually do away with some traditional concepts in the rural areas that are likely to entrench practices that may still hamper progress in gender equality. 49. Angola welcomed the policies undertaken by China to promote gender equality and expressed satisfaction that China successfully achieved the target of elimination of gender disparity in primary and secondary education set in the MDGs. It noted the great importance attached by China to the promotion of the right to subsistence and the right to development through the adoption and implementation of sound policies and programmes aimed at improving the living standards of its population and promote social progress. It further noted that China became the first country in the world to meet the poverty reduction target set in the MDGs. It noted the important role to be played by NGOs in China’s political, economic, cultural and social life by intervening in different fields such as poverty alleviation, health, education, environmental protection and safeguarding citizens’ rights. It also positively noted the existence of 387,000 of registered NGOs. It noted that China amended its compulsory education law to make it free of charge nationwide. Angola 12 GE. 09-16299