China rejects U.S. criticism on human rights

China on Monday questioned the findings of a United States human rights report and cautioned against using the issue of human rights to interfere in China's internal affairs.

The U.S. State Department released an annual report on global human rights Friday, which pointed a finger at China and some other countries.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang voiced firm opposition to the "2016 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices," which he said was full of unfounded accusations and prejudice.

China has lodged solemn representations with the U.S. side, Geng said at a regular press conference.

He said anyone free of political bias about China's human rights situation would not deny the remarkable improvements since the founding of the People's Republic of China.

China holds that countries should have dialogue and exchanges with one another on human rights on the basis of equality and mutual respect, Geng said.

He urged the United States to view China's human rights situation in an objective and fair manner and stop using the issue to interfere in China's internal affairs.

Regarding the report's accusations about the human rights situation in the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, Geng dismissed the false accusations and stressed that the United States has no right to intervene in the internal affairs of China.

Since the return of Hong Kong and Macao, the "One Country, Two Systems" policy and the Basic Law have been implemented comprehensively, and Hong Kong and Macao residents enjoy full rights and freedom in accordance with the law, said Geng.

These are well-established facts and cannot be called into question, he added.