HIGH FIVE: Hu Jintao, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, congratulates performers from Taiwan at a gala in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on July 12. The event is part of a large mainland-Taiwan exchange program aiming to engage more than 10,000 young people from across the Taiwan Straits (XINHUA)

Progress on Human Rights

China has accomplished various goals set by the National Human Rights Action Plan (2009-10), which demonstrates that the country's human rights record and its people's livelihoods have improved, said Wang Chen, Minister of the State Council Information Office, on July 12.

The State Council Information Office published China's first national action plan on human rights in April 2009. The office will publish an assessment report of the action plan soon.

Tibet White Paper

The Chinese Government released a white paper on the development of Tibet over the past 60 years on July 11.

The document, released by the State Council's Information Office, reviews the history of Tibet, particularly the peaceful liberation in 1951, as well as the profound political, social and economic changes that have taken place in the region.

In the 60 years since its liberation, Tibet has fulfilled two historic leaps: "from a society of feudal serfdom to one of socialism, and from a state of isolation, poverty and backwardness to one of openness, prosperity and civilization," the white paper says.

In the period from 1952 to 2010, the Central Government channeled 300 billion yuan ($46.37 billion) to Tibet as financial subsidies, with an annual growth rate of 22.4 percent, according to the white paper.

The Central Government has also allocated more than 160 billion yuan ($24.73 billion) in direct investment to Tibet.

Economic Accountability

China's auditors have demoted or removed 16,000 government officials or executives of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in economic accountability audits since 1999, according to the National Audit Office.

Auditing authorities also handed over more than 7,600 government officials and SOE executives to supervisory departments and judicial organs for abuse of power for personal gains.

Economic accountability audits evaluate the performance of leading Party and government officials and SOE executives in managing and using public funds, national resources, state capital and social funds.

New Satellite

China launched its second data relay satellite, Tianlian I-02, on July 11 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest Sichuan Province.

The country's first data relay satellite, Tianlian I-01, was sent into orbit on April 25, 2008.

Developed by the China Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp., the two satellites will form a network to offer data relay, measurement and control services for China's spacecraft and planned space stations, said the center.

They will also be used to help perform the nation's first space docking, scheduled for the second half of 2011.

Legal Aid Scheme

The 1+1 Volunteer Legal Aid Campaign has benefited more than 1 million people in China since it was launched in July 2009, according to the China Legal Aid Foundation.

In the past two years, more than 300 volunteer lawyers and law students have been sent to 130 counties in 19 provincial regions across the country to dispense legal advice and assistance to those in need.

Volunteers have handled over 10,000 cases and helped more than 1 million people, including disabled people, senior citizens, juveniles, women and migrant workers.