China releases human rights action plan

Per New York Times, China issued its first action plan on human rights promising to improve the protection of liberties that are often neglected and violated.

The document calls for measures to discourage torture, protect rights to a fair trial and uphold rights already guaranteed in the Chinese constitution but are ignored or suppressed by authorities, according to the article.

Per Xinhua News Agency, the Chinese government admitted that it still "has a long road ahead in its efforts to improve its human rights situation."

Twitter users reacted to the news with skepticism:

1. 
   cpb (Global) Hilarious! China creates a (LOL) "human rights action plan"! http://is.gd/sd68 13 Apr 2009 from web
2. 
   sanjeevn (Boston, Mass.) China Releases Human Rights Plan http://bit.ly/BGqRF Aah.. why do I react to that headline with cynicism. A planning commission in charge? 13 Apr 2009 from web
3. 
   Trish1981 (South Bend, Ind.) China releases a human rights action plan My guess is it was distributed as a pamphlet consisting mostly of pictures of happy Chinese people 13 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck
4. 
   Mofobro (Tanglin, Singapore) @weirdchina I don't know what you're smoking, but I want some of it! China will do [expletive] for human rights, minorities, polution, NOTHING! 13 Apr 2009 from TwitterFon in reply to weirdchina

Other Twitterers were more optimistic:

1. weirdchina (China) in China, as a foreigner living among the Chinese, I have learned that baby steps = progress 13 Apr 2009 from web
2. leadglobally (Park City, Utah) China delivers first human rights plan - "the times they are a changing". 13 Apr 2009 from web

China releases human rights action plan