From September 16-17, 2015, the China Society for Human Rights Studies and the China Foundation for Human Rights Development jointly sponsored the “2015 Beijing Forum on Human Rights.” Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the forum. Liu Qibao, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Secretary of the CPC Secretariat, Minister in charge of the CPC Publicity Department, read out President Xi Jinping’s message of congratulation and delivered a speech. Attendees included some 100 senior human rights officials, experts and scholars, and leaders of relevant organs from more than 30 countries and regions in Asia, Europe, America, Africa and Oceania.

 

The forum theme was: “Peace and development: Victory of World Anti-Fascist War and Human Rights Advancement,” which received warm response from participants. They conducted full discussion and reached consensus on the four key topics: “World’s Anti-Fascist War: Competition and Lesson between Human Rights and Anti-Human Rights”; “Maintaining Human Rights and World Peace: China’s Outstanding Contribution”; “Right to Peace: Important Connotation of Human Rights”; and “Realization and Safeguard of Right to Development after WWII.” All participants spoke highly of President Xi Jinping’s congratulatory letter, saying it was inspirational, rich in connotation and very thoughtful, was the concentrated expression of the Chinese concept of human rights and the path taken by it in development of these rights. All agreed it was of great significance in guiding the further development of the human rights cause in China. During the discussion, participants said World War II essentially had been a contest between those for human rights and those against in which China had made an important contribution. China has made unremitting efforts to defending the right to peace, which is a great contribution it has made to defending the human rights cause and defending world peace. What China has done is not only good for the maintenance of the fundamental interests of the Chinese people, but also the defense of the common interests of the international community. The participants held that all countries should hold high the banner of the right to peace, and oppose any attempt and behavior geared to distorting and beautifying the history of aggression, and guard against and prevent the havoc of the war and re-occurrence of the human tragedy, so as to defend justice and human dignity, and effectively protect the broad range of human rights. The participating experts and scholars positively evaluated the efforts China has made to the promotion of the right to development. They held that China not only offered an example for various countries through the realization of its people’s right to development, but also played an important role in seeking common development. Participating delegates affirmed diversity in the modes of human rights development, and that there was no one mode universally applicable to the whole world; individual countries needed to take a path to developing and defending human rights that was good for themselves.

 

A total of 76 papers received during the forum have been divided into five topics and will be published in books. All points of views held by the authors in their respective papers represent their own views, and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the China Society for Human Rights Studies.

 

China Society for Human Rights Studies
April 2016