By He Yin
China recently delivered a joint statement on behalf of more than 100 countries at the 46th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, calling for a people-centered global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
China’s perception of human rights addresses the common challenges faced by mankind, and mirrors the common aspiration and expectation of developing countries.
Taking people as the central focus is a distinctive feature of China’s human rights protection. Human rights are the rights of people, and democracy represent the will of people. The ultimate goal of human rights protection is to safeguard theinterests and rights of people, and their sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security shall be enhanced during the process.
China has lifted 770 million rural residents out of poverty since the beginning of the reform and opening-up over 40 years ago when calculated in accordance with China’s current poverty line, and all 98.99 million poor rural population have been taken out of poverty since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held in 2012.
Such an achievement is remarkable because it has not only lifted Chinese people’s income and livelihood, but also ensured their rights to education, medication and housing. China has built the world’s largest social security system that guarantees basic elderly care, healthcare, living allowance and housing. This is a miracle in the human history of poverty reduction, as well as a vital contribution to the progress of global human rights protection.
China’s people-centered philosophy in its human rights protection has withstood tests. Facing the COVID-19 epidemic, the country carried out a life rescue mission on an unprecedented scale by mobilizing nationwide efforts, which not only safeguarded the rights to life and health of its own citizens, but also deepened international anti-pandemic cooperation, enhanced information sharing and joint prevention, and made COVID-19 vaccines a public product that is accessible and affordable for global countries, especially developing countries.
Joining the global vaccine sharing scheme COVAX of the WHO, China promised to offer 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to meet the urgent need of developing countries. The country has provided and is providing COVID-19 vaccine aid free of charge to 69 developing countries in urgent need, while exporting vaccines to 43 countries.
Recently, China announced to donate 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to UN peacekeepers, with priority given to the African mission area.
These concrete actions perfectly validate China’s people-centered philosophy in its human rights protection.
The progress of global human rights protection calls for justice. Belarus delivered a joint speech on behalf of 71 countries at the 46th Session of the UN Human Rights Council to support China’s stance and measures on issues related to Hong Kong, and oppose western countries’ interference in China’s domestic affairs. Cuba also delivered a joint statement on behalf of 64 countries at the session, to praise China’s people-centered philosophy and support the country’s stance on issues related to Xinjiang, calling on relevant parties to stop making unfounded allegations against China out of political motivations.
Besides, representatives from multiple developing countries made a joint statement, condemning relevant western countries that seriously violated human rights by unilateral coercive measures, and urging them to immediately stop such measures.
Belarus, on behalf of multiple countries, pointed out that the UK and EU countries have systematic human rights violation, including hate speeches, whitewashing Nazism, racial discrimination, and violations against migrants, refugees and the indigenous.
These voices fully demonstrated that justice will always prevail on the issue of human rights.
Mankind shares a common goal to enjoy human rights. To respect and ensure human rights has always been a consistent stand of the CPC and Chinese government.
There is always room for improvement when it comes to human rights protection. Countries shall follow the principle of justice, fairness, openness and inclusiveness, and advance development through cooperation and promote human rights through development, so as to build a community with a shared future for mankind.
