Overview

The protection and promotion of human rights is one of the priorities of British foreign policy. The British government believes that the interests of the United Kingdom are best served in an international society that is based on good governance, democracy and rule of law.

The UK recognises China's efforts to develop rule of law and its engagement thus far with international human rights institutions and foreign governments on human rights issues. At the same time, we continue to encourage China to erect mechanisms for basic human rights in fields such as criminal justice, belief, organisation and public discourse.

Our engagement with China on human rights takes a comprehensive approach, working with Chinese counterparts on a number of levels. These include the UK-China and EU-China Human Rights Dialogues, ministerial activity, project work and cooperation with NGOs and other interested parties.

UK-China & EU-China Human Rights Dialogues

The UK-China Human Rights Dialogue is held twice a year between the British government Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs with participants from legislative, judicial and law-enforcement departments. In recent years, the Dialogue has also brought in civil society representatives such as academics from both countries. Since its inception in 1997, the dialogue has been successful in opening up the scope of discussion and increasing understanding of human rights issues on both sides.

In addition to the twice yearly bilateral Dialogue meetings, the UK contributes to the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue. This mechanism, established in 1995, allows the European Union to raise issues of concern such as the death penalty, re-education through labour, ethnic minority rights, and civil and political freedoms in a forum where China is committed to responding.

The FCO's annual Human Rights Report gives further information on the UK's position on human rights in China and elsewhere.  http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/publications/publications/annual-reports/human-rights-report/.

The UK also regularly takes the opportunities presented by ministerial visits to raise human rights issues at the highest level.  On his visit to Beijing in January 2008, the Prime Minister Gordon Brown discussed human rights concerns with China’s President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao, and Chairman of the National People’s Congress Wu Bangguo.  The Foreign Secretary David Miliband spoke on the same subject with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi while in Beijing in February 2008.  Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister Mark Malloch-Brown discussed human rights issues with Chinese ministers during his visit to Beijing as part of the Economic and Financial Dialogue in April 2008.

Project Work

The UK believes that constructive engagement with China on human rights means complementing high level dialogues and ministerial activities with practical co-operation at project level. Through the Strategic Programme Fund (SPF), the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office funds projects in a number of countries to support action on global issues in areas of strategic importance to the UK.

We work with Chinese legislative, judicial and law enforcing departments, and non-governmental organisations and academic institutions to implement projects in three priority areas: abolishing the death penalty, reforming the criminal justice system, and promoting freedom of expression.
 
More details of the SPF, including on how to bid for funding, are available on the FCO website at www.fco.gov.uk