White paper hails "great progress" of human right protection in Xinjiang

BEIJING, June 1 (Xinhua) -- A white paper issued by China's State Council Information Office on Thursday lauded "great progress" in the protection of human rights of people of various ethnic groups in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

According to the white paper, titled "Human Rights in Xinjiang - Development and Progress," a new historical phase has been ushered in the economic and social development of Xinjiang since China launched its epoch-making reform and opening-up drive in 1978.