China on Tuesday urged the United States to have an objective and fair assessment of its anti-trafficking efforts and refused U.S. criticism on the country's treatment of illegal trespassers from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

"The U.S. accusation (of China on its treatment of North Korean illegal migrants) is groundless," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang at a regular press conference.

The U.S. State Department last week issued an annual "Trafficking in Persons Report", listing China in Tier 2 Watch list for the third year and criticizing it on treatment of DPRK illegal trespassers.

Qin said it is known to all that the DPRK illegal trespassers came to China for economic reasons, and they were not "victims".

The Chinese government has all along treated such illegal migrants in accordance with the domestic and international laws and humanitarian principles, which has been widely appreciated by the international community, he said.

Qin added that the Chinese government has paid much attention to protecting its citizens' rights and cracking down on women and children trafficking, and has made great progress in this regard through unremitting efforts.

China has also participated in international cooperation on fighting human trafficking and illegal migration, and made remarkable achievements, he said.

"We hope the U.S. government would have an objective and fair review of all this," he said.

The spokesman noted that human trafficking and illegal migration are common problems facing the whole world, and China will continue to participate in international cooperation in this area.

Source: Xinhua