China believes the ultimate human right is its citizens' ability to lead a happy and fulfilling life, according to a Chinese scholar.
Xiao Wu, an expert on Xizang from the Southwest University of Political Science and Law, shared his insights into Xizang's human rights development at a press briefing held in Beijing on Tuesday. Diplomats from about 10 countries, including the UK, Germany, Japan, and the Netherlands, attended the event.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Xizang Autonomous Region. The professor highlighted notable human rights progress there in the past six decades, including lifting over 600,000 people out of extreme poverty, providing 15 years of free education, and raising life expectancy from 35 to 72 years.
"China has long emphasized the comprehensive and coordinated development of all rights. It's like we must walk on both feet, not just one leg. We must push forward the coordinated development of civil and political rights alongside economic, social, and cultural rights. Comprehensive and coordinated development means safeguarding both democratic rights and people's livelihoods. When we talk about human rights, we shouldn't just refer to civil and political rights, or democratic rights, while ignoring economic and social rights," Xiao said.
People's ability to lead a happy life is greatest human right: scholar
China's securities regulator has pledged to prioritize market stability and resolutely prevent sharp fluctuations as a core objective for 2026, aiming to consolidate sound development of the capital market.
The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) made the commitment at its annual work conference on Thursday, where the regulator reviewed the past year's performance and outlined key tasks for 2026.
In 2025, listed companies distributed a combined total of 2.68 trillion yuan (about 380 billion U.S. dollars) in cash dividends and share buybacks throughout the year, further consolidating the momentum for high-quality development.
Initial public offerings (IPOs) and follow-on offerings reached a combined 1.26 trillion yuan, while the exchange bond market issued various bonds totaling 16.3 trillion yuan.
Eighteen futures and options products were smoothly listed, demonstrating the robust functioning of the multi-tiered capital market.
The meeting emphasized that while the capital market currently shows stable and sound performance, it still faces complex and severe challenges posed by intertwined domestic and external risks as well as the overlapping of persisting and emerging issues.
Efforts will be made to effectively enhance the intrinsic stability of the market, the CSRC said, adding that it will rigorously investigate and punish excessive speculation, market manipulation, and other illegal activities to prevent sharp market fluctuations.
It will work to foster a market ecosystem where "long-term capital engages in long-term investment," the regulator said, pledging efforts to broaden the channels for medium and long-term capital inflows, introduce various products and risk management tools suited to long-term investment, and actively guide long-term, rational and value-based investment.
It also vowed to enhance the inclusiveness and adaptability of the multi-tiered equity market, crack down on illegal activities such as financial fraud, price manipulation and insider trading, and enhance corporate governance among listed firms.
The CSRC will advance the two-way opening up of the capital market in 2026.
Efforts will be made to expedite the implementation of the optimized Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor scheme, expand the scope of futures products accessible to foreign investors, and enhance the facilitation of cross-border investment and financing, the regulator said.
China's securities regulator stresses market stability in 2026 work plan
China's securities regulator stresses market stability in 2026 work plan
