CHINA has in recent years sought to depict itself as not a violator, but a champion of human rights. Thus, in September, President Xi Jinping co-hosted a United Nations (UN) meeting on women's empowerment and said: "All Chinese women have the opportunity to excel in life and make their dreams come true," apparently oblivious of China's imprisonment of five feminists months previously.

This month, a different picture of human rights in China was painted as the United Nations Committee Against Torture held hearings.

China's chief representative, Ambassador Wu Hailong, acknowledged that it was still "facing challenges in the prevention and prohibition of torture", but said that "anti-torture training was mandatory for all staff of detention facilities and prisons". China insisted it does not torture. Officials were equally categorical in denying the existence of political prisoners. "The allegation of cruel treatment of suspects from ethnic minority groups is groundless," said Jin Chunzi, a deputy director of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission.