March 9,2020 -- The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) opened its 43rd regular session in Geneva, Feb. 24, 2020. During the session, China held a series of activities including a photo exhibition titled “Home: A Glimpse of Life of People from Various Ethnic Groups in Xinjiang”, an international symposium on anti-terrorism, de-radicalization and human rights protection, and a thematic conference titled "Promoting Sustainable Development Goals by Chinese Nongovernmental Organizations ", in order to promote the international understanding of China’s human rights development.

 

 

United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres issued a "Call to Action for Human Rights" at the opening of the 43rd regular session of the UNHRC, urging countries to take action immediately to balance the development of all kinds of human rights.

 

The call singles out seven areas, and promoting human rights development through the 2030 'Agenda for Sustainable Development' comes as the first, Guterres explained.

 

When the United Nations helped "lift people out of abject poverty (and) when everyone has equal access to opportunity and choice, we are enabling people to claim their rights and upholding the core pledge of the 2030 Agenda to leave no one behind," he said.

 

As there is more than one way to protect human rights, countries should respect the right of every country to choose its own path to achieve peace and development, said Chen Xu, China's permanent representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

 

Only by observing the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, by carrying out relevant work in an impartial, objective, constructive and non-selective manner, and by opposing double standards and the politicization of human rights, can the international human rights cause witness a healthy and stable progress, said Chen.

 

Liu Hua, Special Representative for Human Rights of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called on the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to pay more attention to the voices of developing countries during the 43rd session of the UN Human Rights Council, expecting more investments in promoting economic, social and cultural rights and the right to development, which are of concern to the majority of developing countries. 

 

A photo exhibition titled “Home: A Glimpse of Life of People from Various Ethnic Groups in Xinjiang” was held during the session. More than 100 pictures depicting a "beautiful, open, confident and richly-endowed Xinjiang that enjoys stable development, solidarity and harmony" were on display, serving as a window to a real Xinjiang.

 

 

Jointly sponsored by the Mission of China to UN at Geneva, the Mission of Cameron to UN at Geneva, and the China Society for Human Rights Studies (CSHRS), the international symposium on anti-terrorism, de-radicalization and human rights protection was held during the 43rd session of the UNHRC.

 

Experts and scholars from countries like China, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Sri Lanka, Serbia expressed views on issues related to the definition of terrorism, the danger of terrorism to human rights, the basis of international law against terrorism, the double standards of western media on counter-terrorism, and how the international community should cooperate on counter-terrorism and de-radicalization, and introduced the successful experiences of their countries.

 

Jiang Duan, Minister of the Permanent Mission of China in Geneva, said that the current global counter-terrorism situation is still serious, and that counter-terrorism and de-radicalization are the common responsibilities of all countries. The international community, including the United Nations Human Rights Council, should firmly establish a sense of community with a shared future, actively take comprehensive de-radicalization measures, eliminate the basis for the spread of terrorism, effectively prevent and combat terrorism, and promote and protect human rights.

 

Charge d'Affaires of the Permanent Mission of Cameroon in Geneva, said that terrorism, radicalization and secessionism pose serious threats to all countries in the world. The international community should strengthen cooperation to jointly combat terrorism and radicalization, including cutting off financing channels for terrorists in accordance with the resolutions of the UN Security Council.

 

Participants believed that some western countries like the United States and some western media adopt double standards in counter-terrorism and de-radicalization, and even condone terrorist forces, which is not conducive to international counter-terrorism cooperation. All the countries should adhere to the UN Global Counter Terrorism Strategy, respect the counter-terrorism and de-radicalization measures taken by countries based on their national conditions, strengthen exchanges and cooperation, oppose the use of counter-terrorism for ulterior gains, abandon double standards, jointly combat terrorism and radicalization, and promote the healthy development of human rights. 

 

 

Technology provides the vulnerable groups including children and women an opportunity to gain knowledge and know the world from the Internet. We should spare no effort to make the cyber environment healthy and safe and China is willing to come along with the UN and governments of all the countries to work on it, said Liu Hua, Special Representative for Human Rights of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, at an interactive dialogue held at the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council.

 

The permanent mission of China in Geneva and the permanent mission of Venezuela in Geneva held a seminar on immigrant children’s rights at the Palais des Nations, Geneva on March 2nd. The seminar focused on the infringement of the rights of immigrant children in the US and called on the US to fulfill its obligations under the international human rights law. 

 

Nilina, professor with the University of California at Berkeley and Lu Zhian, deputy director of the Centre for Human Rights Studies in Fudan University, pointed out that some American immigration policies which lead to family separation infringe the rights of immigrant children.

 

The experts called on the international community to pay attention to the situation of immigrant children along the US-Mexico border, especially those in the detention centers. They also urged the US to abolish the policies which abuse immigrant children’s rights.