The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council recently approved a resolution championed by China and many developing nations, underscoring the commitment to uphold economic, social, and cultural rights. This pivotal move signifies growing global support for China’s stance on human rights. It emphasizes that China, in partnership with numerous developing countries, aims to fortify international human rights. This comes amidst concerns regarding the US and certain Western nations’ attempts to politicize human rights issues.
The resolution, named “Promoting and protecting economic, social and cultural rights within the context of addressing inequalities,” was accepted unanimously. It was backed by 80 nations, including China, Bolivia, Egypt, Pakistan, South Africa, Syria, and Venezuela during the Human Rights Council’s 54th session. Information regarding this was provided by China’s Permanent Mission to the UN Office at Geneva.
Ambassador Chen Xu introduced the resolution, emphasizing its intent to foster unity on economic, social, and cultural rights, especially concerning inequality. The resolution also advocates bolstered international collaboration to promote these rights via capacity building. An additional proposal suggests the creation of a knowledge hub to facilitate equitable discussions among nations on pertinent topics.
Countries from the developing world conveyed their gratitude to China and the other sponsors. They believe the resolution aptly addresses the urgent need to boost investments in economic, social, and cultural rights and to forge a fair and inclusive global order. It resonates with the broader aim of recalibrating the multilateral human rights system, ensuring its sustainability and overall development.
According to Mao Junxiang, executive director at the Human Rights Studies Center at Central South University, joint resolutions by multiple nations aren’t rare. The more countries involved, the stronger the global consensus. With 80 nations backing this resolution, it reflects a high degree of agreement, underscoring China’s proactive role in shaping global human rights standards.
Mao noted the resolution’s unanimous acceptance indicates the shared sentiments of a majority of developing countries. Analysts echoed that the resolution aligns with the current trajectory of adjusting the global human rights structure for sustained, healthy development. Such alignment likely contributed to its broad acceptance.
Footage from the UN Human Rights website captured the sentiments of many developing countries, who expressed gratitude for the resolution. It captured the collective call for greater commitment to economic, social, and cultural rights, aiming for a just global framework. Several representatives, including those from the EU, France, and Germany, showcased their willingness to negotiate, reflecting a broad consensus.
Chang Jian, director of the Research Center for Human Rights at Nankai University, believes the unanimous approval of the resolution exemplifies China’s widely recognized stance. Over recent decades, China has made significant strides in safeguarding economic, social, and cultural rights, becoming a model for the global community. The country’s achievements in areas like poverty alleviation, healthcare, social insurance, and comprehensive educational provisions have garnered sincere appreciation from many developing nations. China’s strategies have gained international acclaim, amplifying its influence in the domain of global human rights.
Further highlighting China’s stature, the country was recently re-elected to the Human Rights Council during the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, securing membership from 2024 to 2026.
Chang views this re-election (a sixth-time occurrence) as an impressive feat. It underscores China’s proactive engagement in UN human rights endeavors and its emergence as a constructive global player in human rights governance. “China’s increasing international prominence is evident, and its human rights progress contrasts with the portrayal by some Western entities,” remarked Chang.
Despite the progress, some Western nations and anti-China factions have attempted to tarnish China’s human rights reputation with baseless allegations. Chang emphasizes that, unfortunately, several Western countries have politicized human rights, converting it from a global humanitarian cause into a geopolitical instrument. By using human rights as a tool to discredit and even impose sanctions on other nations, they risk destabilizing global human rights governance and eroding its foundational principles.
Mao concurred, stressing that China’s re-election clearly manifests global acknowledgment of its contributions to international human rights. China, while recognizing the perspectives of developing nations, plays an instrumental role in shaping global human rights norms. The notion of constructing a unified global future and promoting human rights through developmental measures, as exemplified by the recently passed resolutions, epitomizes China’s contributions.
China endeavors to share its human rights philosophies with the international community in an equitable, sensible, and inclusive manner. Contrary to the coercive tactics employed by some nations, China bases its initiatives on widely recognized consensus, often receiving acknowledgment from a plethora of countries.
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