China on Thursday refuted Britain's latest annual report on human rights, calling the report "an ideological political show."

"China's human rights cause is progressing continuously and it is obvious to any person without prejudice," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a regular press conference.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband launched the 2009 Annual Report on Human Rights Wednesday afternoon in the wake of his visit to China this week. The 192-page report named China as one of 22 "countries of concern."

Qin said most of the countries listed in the report were developing countries.

"Why doesn't the report talk about some Western countries that have also violated human rights? This is simply an ideological political show," he said.

"China has been committed to promoting and protecting its people's human rights and fundamental freedoms," Qin said.

He said Chinese people of various ethnic groups enjoyed fundamental rights conferred by the Constitution according to law and the level of their enjoyment of human rights had increased significantly.

In its rapid economic development, China had also stressed the rule of law and social progress, and the government was committed to building a fair, just and harmonious society, he said.

He acknowledged that differences still existed among nations on human rights issues due to different levels of cultural and economic development.

"China stands for narrowing the differences through dialogue on the basis of mutual respect and equality," he said.

China opposed pressure and confrontation, double standards on human rights issues and interference in other nation's internal affairs, he added.

The other 21 "countries of concern" were Afghanistan, Belarus, Colombia, Cuba, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.

(Xinhua News Agency March 18, 2010)