Staff Reporter

China was elected on Nov. 12, 2013 at the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York to the UN Human Rights Council for a three-year term from 2014 to 2016.

Wang Min, deputy permanent representative of the People’s Republic of China to the UN, said after the election, "The Chinese government attaches great importance to the promotion and protection of human rights. It has made remarkable achievements and has vigorously developed international cooperation in the field of human rights."

Wang stressed that China is fully qualified to be elected as a member of the UN Human Rights Council. China's election to the UN Human Rights Council also serves as the international community's acknowledgment of China's significant achievements in the field of human rights.

While expressing gratitude to all countries for their valuable support, Wang said China will continue to participate actively and intensively in activities of the UN Human Rights Council, playing a constructive role in the council, promoting dialogue and cooperation and opposing pressure and confrontation so as to contribute more to sound development of the international human rights cause.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Qin Gang said China has made great achievements in both the Chinese and international human rights causes. China is well qualified to be elected to the UN Human Rights Council and China is worthy of the name of council member. Certainly, Qin said, there is no country in the world that can claim a perfect human rights status. Therefore, the Chinese side advocates that all countries in the world, upholding the principle of mutual respect while addressing human rights issues, should increase exchange and mutual understanding in order to make concerted efforts to promote the international human rights cause. The Chinese side opposes pressure and confrontation, Qin said.

The UN Human Rights Council, a major UN body working to promote and protect human rights worldwide，is based in Geneva, Switzerland and was established by the UNGA on March 15, 2006. In 2013, 14 countries were elected members of the 47-member UN human rights body. Besides China, the 13 other countries elected to the council were Algeria, Britain, Cuba, France, Macedonia, Maldives, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Vietnam.