China on Wednesday issued a white paper on progress in human rights since its reform and opening up drive.

The white paper, titled "Progress in Human Rights over the 40 Years of Reform and Opening Up in China," said reform and opening up has helped liberate and develop social productive forces, opened up a path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and ushered in a new chapter in the development of human rights.

Over the four decades, the Chinese people have worked hard as one under the strong and coherent leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the white paper said. Huge changes have taken place, and living standards have significantly improved.

The CPC has always prioritized people's interests, ensuring that reform is conducted for the people and by the people and that its benefits are shared by the people, it added.

China has shown respect for, protected and promoted human rights in the course of reform and opening up, blazing a trail of human rights development that conforms to the national conditions, and created new experiences and made progress in safeguarding human rights, it said.

China has summed up its historical experience, drawn on the achievements of human civilization, combined the universal principles of human rights with the realities of the country, and generated a series of innovative ideas on human rights, it said.

China has brought into being basic rights that center on the people and prioritize their rights to subsistence and development and proposed that China should follow a path of comprehensive and coordinated human rights development under the rule of law.

The white paper said China has carried out extensive exchanges and cooperation in the field of human rights and earnestly fulfilled its international human rights obligations.