China urged the U.S. to ratify the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) as soon as possible and take practical actions to protect children's rights, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Thursday.

Mao noted that the U.S. is the only UN member that has not ratified the CRC, adding that child labor violations have soared in the U.S. in recent years, citing a recent report by the New York Times. "From mines to farms, from meat processing plants to metal stamping factories, tens of thousands of children work heavy and even dangerous jobs. "

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At U.S. border detention facilities, thousands of children suffer from rampant diseases, unclean food and forced separation from their parents, she said, adding that American children and teens are 15 times more likely to die from gunfire than their peers in 31 other high-income countries combined. 

A report released by the International Labour Organization and the UN Children's Fund on Wednesday said that 1.77 billion children worldwide lack a social protection system and called for greater efforts by all countries to protect children.

The spokesperson said promoting children's well-being is a major priority for China. China has actively fulfilled its obligations under the CRC, guided by the principle of the best interests of the child and stayed committed to a development philosophy that prioritizes children's welfare and protects child rights.

With notable progress in promoting child health, China has been named one of the 10 best-performing countries in maternal and child health by the World Health Organization, Mao said.

China will continue to take an active part in international cooperation and work for greater progress in the global cause to improve children's well-being, she said.

(Cover: Young unaccompanied migrants, aged from 3 to 9, watch television inside a playpen at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, the main detention center for unaccompanied children in the Rio Grande Valley, Donna, Texas, U.S., March 30, 2021. /CFP)