BEIJING -- China strongly urges the European Union (EU) to cease interfering in other countries' internal affairs under the guise of human rights, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Thursday.

Guo made the remarks at a regular press briefing when answering a question on a statement regarding China, which was issued by the EU Delegation to China on the International Human Rights Day.

The human rights statement on China issued by the EU delegation willfully ignores facts, distorts right and wrong, and is filled with malicious slander, shameless lies and false information about China's human rights situation, Guo said.

He further noted that the statement constitutes a gross interference in China's internal affairs and judicial sovereignty, and a serious violation of international law and the fundamental norms governing international relations.

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"China strongly condemns and firmly opposes this statement, and has already lodged stern representations to the EU side," said Guo.

Guo emphasized that the Chinese government attaches great importance to promoting and protecting human rights, and has successfully blazed a path of human rights development that conforms to the trend of the times and suits China's national conditions.

"Historic achievements have been made in the cause of human rights and the advancement of socialist democracy and rule of law in the country, a fact that anyone without prejudice can see and recognize," noted Guo.

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He pointed out that affairs related to Xinjiang, Xizang, and Hong Kong are China's internal affairs, which brook no external interference. China's Xinjiang and Xizang regions enjoy social stability, economic growth and ethnic solidarity, and have achieved the improvement of people's livelihoods. Guo also said that the practice of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong has achieved widely recognized successes, with residents of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region enjoying extensive rights and freedoms in accordance with the law.

China's Constitution fully guarantees citizens' freedom of speech and freedom of religious belief, Guo noted, adding that China is a country governed by the rule of law, where everyone is equal before the law, and human rights cannot be used as an excuse to evade legal punishment.

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Guo pointed out that in recent years, the human rights situation in the EU has continued to deteriorate. Human rights violations such as racial discrimination, infringement of the rights of refugees and immigrants, restrictions on freedom of speech, tolerance to hatred towards certain religious groups, judicial injustice, and violence against women have emerged one after another, he added.

"The EU turns a blind eye to its own problems while pointing fingers at other countries. Such hypocrisy and double standards have long been laid bare for the world to see. The EU is not in the position to lecture others on human rights, still less picture itself as the 'human rights defender'," said the spokesperson.

China strongly urges the EU to engage in serious self-reflection, respect the fundamental facts, and view the achievements of China's human rights cause objectively, Guo said, adding that the EU must cease its "megaphone diplomacy", stop politicizing and instrumentalizing human rights issues, and cease interfering in other countries' internal affairs under the guise of human rights.