ZHANG Yonghe*

 

Abstract: General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights have deepened the theoretical and practical cognition of the Communist Party of China on human rights and opened up a new realm of socialist human rights theory with Chinese characteristics. They are major original theories responding to the demands of the times to realize national rejuvenation, fundamental guidelines for the development of China’s human rights for a new era, the most comprehensive, systematic and scientific human rights theoretical system of the CPC so far, and integral parts of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The essence of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights expound on the purpose, the path, the system, and the practice of human rights in China and offer valuable guidance for the development of the global human rights cause. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights establish a scientific guideline for the future development of human rights. They are of great significance to the promotion of broader and fuller enjoyment of human rights by the people , the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the improvement of international influence of China’s discourse power on human rights, and the better development of the world human rights cause.

 

Keywords: respecting and protecting human rights · socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era · core essence

 

A major event in China’s human rights development, the book, Xi Jinping on Respecting and Protecting Human Rights¹(hereinafter referred to as “the book”), edited by the Institute of Party History and Literature of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, was published in December 2021. The book brings together 335 passages on respecting and protecting human rights that have been excerpted from more than 160 important documents, including reports, speeches, remarks, congratulatory messages, and directives made by General Secretary Xi Jinping from November 15, 2012 to October 30, 2021. Organized under nine topics in three aspects, namely the “concept of commitment to respecting and protecting human rights, the “practical path of promoting and guaranteeing the people’s right to subsistence and right to development in an all-round, multi-leveled, and wide-ranging manner through self-development, and the “value pursuit of promoting the development of worldwide human rights through the progress of human rights” of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government, the book gathers together a wide range of major statements of General Secretary Xi Jinping on respecting and protecting human rights since the 18th National Congress of the CPC.

 

The concept of putting the people first runs throughout the book of more than 110, 000 Chinese characters. The terms “the people” and “the masses”appear 691 times and 89 times, respectively, demonstrating the governing concept of the CPC to put the people first. As the core of the CPC Central Committee and the Party, General Secretary Xi Jinping has all along placed people’s interests above all else. Putting the people first has become the core and soul of the human rights concept of China in the new era. These statements are not simple words. They prove that the institutional and governance logic, theoretical system, and discourse system of China’s human rights cause have taken shape.

 

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights combine history with reality, and theory with practice, and thoroughly answer important theoretical and practical questions concerning domestic human rights conditions and the international situations, and the development of China’s human rights in a new era. They are important achievements of the in-depth thinking and scientific conclusion on human rights by General Secretary Xi Jinping and the fundamental guidelines for the development of China’s human rights for a new era. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights have made a profound explanation of the goals and concepts, choice of development path, institutional arrangements, and global governance for human rights protection, forming a human rights theoretical system with rich content, clear extension, reasonable structure, and rigorous logic. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights are the inevitable outcome of the development of the theory, practice, and history of China’s human rights cause. It is an inevitable requirement to further recognize and understand the decisive significance of the “two establishments” and promote the better development of China’s human rights development and the realization of the Chinese Dream of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation to take General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights as an integral part of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

 

 

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights are in line with the prevailing trend of history, the will of the Party and the public, people’s needs at home and abroad, and the most opportune time.

 

 

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that keeping pace with the times, sharing a common destiny with the people, and paying attention to and answering major issues raised by the times and practice are the secrets for Marxism to maintain eternal vitality. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights adhere to the basic stance, viewpoint, and methodology of Marxism, proceed from China’s reality in human rights and have the whole world in view. They upgrade human rights theories through innovative development to ensure that they keep pace with the times. Marxism adheres to the position of realizing the liberation of the people and safeguarding the interests of the people and takes the realization of the free and well-rounded development of people and the liberation of all mankind as its responsibility. The human rights concept of putting the people first espoused by General Secretary Xi Jinping showcases the fundamental philosophy in the development of socialist human rights with Chinese characteristics in the new era. It transcends the one-sided theory of the subject of human rights in the West, develops Marxism from the position of the people and scientifically explains the scope of the subject of human rights. While insisting that “the rights to subsistence and development are the primary and basic human rights,” General Secretary Xi Jinping has creatively puts forward such expositions as “the most basic human right is the right to a happy life,” “promoting the free and well-rounded development of every person.” and so on, clarifying the fundamental goal of Marxist human rights theory is to “realize the all-round development of every individual.”

 

 

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights include the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government’s commitment to respecting and protecting human rights, a path of human rights development suited to China’s conditions, pursuing a people-centered human rights philosophy, taking the right to subsistence and the right to development as the basic human rights and realizing common prosperity in gradual steps, making the health and safety of the people the top priority, coordinating efforts to enhance the economic, political, social, cultural, and environmental rights for all and promoting people’s well-rounded development, safeguarding the rights and interests of special groups such as ethnic minorities, women, children, senior citizens, and people with disabilities, strengthening legal protection for human rights and ensuring the people enjoy extensive rights and freedoms in accordance with the law, and contributing more to greater cultural diversity and development of worldwide human rights. The series of important statements cover the leaders, subjects, correct path, main content, guarantee measures, and global contribution of China’s human rights development in the new era. They have demonstrated the profound theoretic foundation and clear value guidance, deepened the theoretical and practical cognition of the CPC on human rights and opened up a new realm of socialist human rights theory with Chinese characteristics. They are major original theories to the demands of the times to realize national rejuvenation, integral parts of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fundamental guidelines for the development of China’s human rights for a new era, and the most comprehensive, systematic and scientific human rights theoretical system of the CPC so far.

 

 

The CPC has made respecting and protecting human rights a goal of its governance. Throughout the course of the CPC’s long-term efforts to lead China’s revolution, development, and reform, constant efforts have been made to adapt Marxism to China’s conditions and promote the development of human rights. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core, has given prominence to the principle of people-centered development by putting the interests of the people above all else, focusing its efforts on their aspiration for a better life, making a series of major decisions and arrangements for respecting and protecting human rights, and enhancing the protection of all basic human rights. It has solved many tough problems that were long on the agenda but never resolved and accomplished many things that were wanted but never got done. China has made significant progress in human rights, opening the best period of development in history. The key to these historic achievements and changes lies in the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core, the judgment of General Secretary Xi Jinping on the human rights cause, and the scientific guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights. It has also proved the feasibility, necessity, and truth of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights.

 

The strength of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights for guiding practice is inseparable from his personal experience and profound understanding. General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to human rights. In the long-term leadership practice from local to the central government, Xi Jinping has planned many important projects on human rights in person and accumulated rich experience in respecting and protecting human rights under the guidance of Marxism and the commitment that “the concerns of the people are what I always care about, and the aspirations of the people are what I always strive for.” For example, during the seven years of educated youth, Xi Jinping continued to think about the subject of human rights as “human” and “the people”; in Ningde, Fujian, he put forward the important exposition of “up and out of poverty” that is closely related to the protection of the right to subsistence; in Zhejiang province, he made the scientific conclusion of “lucid waters and lush mountains are valuable resources” to protect the right to environment. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, in particular, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made a series of major statements on respecting and protecting human rights, constituting the essence of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights. It can be discovered that the statements and practices on the people and the development of the people during the work of General Secretary Xi Jinping from Hebei, Fujian, Zhejiang, and then to the central government clearly show the trajectory from budding to maturity of his important statements on respecting and protecting human rights. 

 

 

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the Communist Party of China strives for both the well-being of the Chinese people and the progress of all humankind. To make new and greater contributions to mankind is our Party’s abiding mission. General Secretary Xi Jinping holds that we should renew our commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, build a new model of international relations featuring mutually beneficial cooperation, and build a community with a shared future for human beings. The major concept of building a community with as shared future for human beings points the way to addressing global challenges and provides a Chinese solution for better promoting global human rights governance. Focusing on all mankind, a community with a shared future for human beings considers the cause of global human rights governance from the perspective of the overall development and interdependence of human society. It calls on the international community to advance development through peace, promote human rights through development, enhance cooperation through solidarity, and promote human rights through cooperation. It conforms to the shared aspiration of people all over the world to seek peace, development, cooperation and common progress. The major concept has been included in the resolutions of the UN Human Rights Council, the UN Security Council and other international institutions, gaining more and more international recognition through contributing Chinese wisdom to the development of the world human rights cause.

 

China demonstrates its sense of responsibility as a major country, interprets the right connotation of human rights, and becomes a pillar of strength for upholding multilateralism, fairness, and justice.² The international community also eagerly hopes that China will share more experience and provide more ideas for promoting global human rights governance.

 

 

With clear internal logic and structure, General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights are systematic achievements. Guided by the concept of putting the people first, they cover the purpose, the path, the system, and the practice of human rights.

 

 

Putting the people first has become the core and soul of the human rights concept of China in the new era. The idea of serving the people is the most distinctive theoretical character of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights. Based on the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the core concept of putting the people first, promoting economic and social development, enhancing democratic politics, modernizing China’s system and capacity for governance, and constructing a community with a shared future for human beings, China respects the value and spirit of human rights throughout various undertakings in different fields. The governing concept of the CPC is to always put the people first. As the core of the CPC Central Committee and the whole Party, General Secretary Xi Jinping has all along placed people’s interests above all else. Putting the people first has become the core and soul of the human rights concept of China in the new era. Since the very day of its founding, the Party has made seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation its aspiration and mission, united and led the Chinese people to create a better life through a protracted struggle. The 18th CPC National Congress held in 2012 marked the beginning of a new era in the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The main tasks facing the Party at this point were to fulfill the First Centenary Goal — which has now been accomplished — embark on the new journey to accomplish the Second Centenary Goal, and continue striving toward the great goal of national rejuvenation. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the Chinese dream is as much the dream of every Chinese as it is the dream of the whole nation. China’s national rejuvenation represents a process of promoting social fairness and justice and advancing human rights.³ The CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core always puts the people and their rights and interests above everything else, thereby guaranteeing people’s right to participate in governance and develop as equals, making the achievement of reform better benefit all the people in a more equal way, and improving respect for and protection of the fundamental rights of the Chinese people. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that “on the road ahead, we should always take the people’s yearning for a better life as the goal of our struggle, observe the Party’s fundamental purpose, implement the Party’s mass line, respect the principal position of the people, respect the wishes, experience, rights, and role of the people in practice, and fully enliven their creative powers. 

 

We should improve the system of democracy, establish more democratic channels, diversify our forms of democracy, and improve legal guarantee, to ensure that the people enjoy democratic rights in a broad, full, genuine, and effective way in accordance with the law. We must actively respond to the people’s desires, hopes, and anxieties, share the achievements in economic, political, cultural, social and ecological development with the people, bring the people more direct and concrete feelings of fulfillment, happiness, and security, and continue to promote well-rounded human development and common prosperity for everyone.”⁴ It is the most direct and vivid expression of Xi Jinping’s important statements on human rights concepts of putting the people first. “Development should be in the interests of the people, development should rely on the people’s support, and development should be of direct benefit to the people” is the most concise summary and the most fundamental meaning of Xi Jinping’s important statements on human rights concepts of putting the people first.

 

Putting the people first runs through every part and detailed content of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights. It is the fundamental purpose of human rights, the fundamental guideline for the development of human rights, the fundamental thread of the human rights system, and the fundamental method of human rights practice. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights have brought a new perspective to Marxism on human and scientifically explained China’s position, values, and basic experience in human rights in the new era.

 

 

The purpose of human rights protection should not be superficial or limited to human rights. According to General Secretary Xi Jinping, there are three purposes of human rights protection. The first is to promote the free and well-rounded development of every person. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in Zhijiang, China: A New Vision for Development that “human beings are by nature cultural beings, not objects; they are conscious actors and complete human beings, not ossified, single-dimensional beings.”⁵ Facing the new major social contradictions in the new era, we should “take more concrete measures in ensuring and improving people’s living standards, promote social fairness and justice, ensure access to a higher level of childcare,education, employment, medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance, see that thgains of reform and development benefit all our people in a fair way, and continue to promote well-rounded human development.”⁶ General Secretary Xi Jinping’s statements on the free and well-rounded development of every person have brought a new perspective to Marxism on the free and well-rounded development of every person. The second is that the most basic human right is the right to a happy life. General Secretary Xi Jinping clearly pointed out in his congratulatory letter to the Symposium Commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that “the most basic human right is the right to a happy life.”⁷ Protecting and realizing human rights is not about making unreachable and unfulfilled promises, or creating illusory and imperceptible illusions. Ultimately speaking, we should increase the people’s sense of benefit, happiness, and security, get everyone out of poverty to live a decent life, and realize common prosperity together. The third is to build a community with a shared future for human beings and enrich the diversity of human civilizations. “It is the lofty ideal of mankind that everyone enjoys human rights to the full.”

 

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights concern not only the human rights of a country but the common cause of humanity. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that “Chinese people are willing to work with the peoples of all other countries to uphold the shared values of humanity — peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom, safeguard human dignity and rights, strive for fairer, more reasonable and inclusive global human rights governance, and build a global community of shared future and a beautiful world.”⁸ Although the human rights cause is a common cause of mankind, the promotion of human rights worldwide should not follow a single standard. “There will be no human civilization without diversity.” “Diversity makes human civilization what it is, and provides a constant source of vitality and driving force for world development.”⁹ The objective of human rights theories and practical development should include “the enrichment of the diversity of human civilization.” In essence, the three purposes correspond to three levels of being, namely as individuals, as collectives, and human civilizations. The first and second levels are integrated but with respective emphasis, pointing to a happy life as the subjective experience of human rights and free and well-round development as the objective goal of human rights.

 

 

Our direction determines our path, and our path determines our future. The realization of human rights depends on the right path. There are three points on the path of human rights in General Secretary Xi Jinping’s Important Statements on Respecting and Protecting Human Rights. The first is to follow the general path to integrate the principle of universality of human rights with national conditions. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that “China always applies the principle of universality of human rights in the context of the national conditions” and “China will remain committed to following a path of human rights development that suits China’s national conditions.”¹⁰ The second is that we should follow the basic experience in choosing the path to insist that the right to subsistence and the right to development are primary basic human rights. Without the right to life, nothing is possible for other human rights. It is the simplest truth about human rights. The choice of China’s human rights path should be based on the reality of China’s development. In many congratulatory letters, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that “China insists that the rights to subsistence and development are primary basic human rights.” Meanwhile, development is a right and a method to realize it. As General Secretary Xi Jinping said, “The UN Declaration on the Right to Development affirms that the right to development is an inalienable human right. As the world’s largest developing country of over 1.3 billion people, China regards development as the key to solving all problems.”¹¹ The third is that the new requirement on the way forward is to insist on the all-round and coordinated development of all human rights. It is the correct choice of history to insist that the right to subsistence and the right to development are primary basic human rights. As Chinese socialism has entered a new era, the principal contradiction facing Chinese society has evolved to become that between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life.

 

As the right to subsistence is more fully realized, the protection of the right to development has been significantly improved, and the people’s needs and expectations for human rights have also undergone new changes. Adhering to the all-round and coordinated development of all human rights has become an important requirement for the development of human rights in China in the new era. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “we should coordinate efforts to improve all people’s political, economic, social, cultural and environmental rights, and strive to uphold social equity and justice and promote well-rounded human development.”¹²

 

 

For the purpose of realizing human rights, the premise lies in the path and the foundation of the system. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out profoundly that “Institutions represent an important guarantee for equity and justice in any society, regardless of how developed that society may be” and “we should strive to overcome injustice and inequality caused by man-made factors through innovative institutional arrangements, and ensure our people’s rights to equal participation and development.”¹³ The system of human rights in General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights covers two dimensions, namely democracy and the rule of law. The first is whole-process people’s democracy. The most fundamental system guarantee and political practice for human rights putting the people first is the position of the people as masters of the country. China’s whole-process people’s democracy is the system foundation for the position of the people as masters of the country. General Secretary Xi Jinping has made an incisive summary of whole-process people’s democracy, “the whole-process people’s democracy in China has a complete set of institutions and procedures and full participation. It is the organic unity of process and outcome democracy, procedural and substantive democracy, direct and indirect democracy, as well as the people’s democracy and the will of the state. It is a whole process, all-round and full coverage democracy, and it is the most extensive, real and effective socialist democracy.”¹⁴ The second is the legal protection of human rights. Human rights are an important purpose of the rule of law, while legal protection is the best way to protect human rights. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly expounded on the principle that “the fundamental purpose of advancing lawbased governance is to protect the rights and interests of the people in accordance with the law.” He pointed out that “we will coordinate our efforts to promote the rule of law in governance and administration, put the building of the country, the government and society on solid basis of the rule of law, build greater trust in the judicial system, and ensure that human rights are respected and effectively upheld.”¹⁵

 

 

Human rights are both ideas and practices. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s Important Statements on Respecting and Protecting Human Rights show distinctive practicality. Such practicality is closely related to General Secretary Xi Jinping’s practice, especially his experience and reflection on poverty as a human rights issue in Liangjiahe. It can be said that without Xi Jinping’s experience and reflection in Liangjiahe, the theory and practice of the right to subsistence and development rights, such as “poverty alleviation,” “targeted poverty alleviation,” and so on, would not be put forward. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s theory on the practice of human rights covers five aspects. The first is to put people’s lives and health front and center.

 

“Putting life front and center” and “truly respecting the value and dignity of every human life” are the most vivid and powerful expressions on the protection of the right to life in the statements of Xi Jinping on respecting and protecting human rights. Life is priceless, and safety and health are equally valuable. While promoting the protection of life and health, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly pointed out that “we must put people’s lives and health front and center” and “it is a major task for the Party’s governance to ensure the security of lives and property as well as the health of the people.”¹⁶ The second and third aspects are the protection of economic, social and cultural rights and the guarantee of civil and political rights. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights cover the protection of the rights to work, housing, medical care, social insurance, education, culture, sports, and religious belief, the right to be informed, the right to participate, the right to be heard, and the right to oversee. Covering the rights listed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it includes both the general policy for the realization of rights and the specific measures for the protection of rights, becoming an important guide for human rights practices in China in the new era. The fourth is the protection of the right to a healthy environment. Xi Jinping Thought on an Ecological Civilization contains a thorough consideration of what constitutes an ecological civilization, profound insights into the development mode, and important judgments on the right to the environment as an important human right. “Lucid waters and lush mountains are valuable resources and a significant guarantee for the health of the people.” “A sound eco-environment is the most basic public good that benefits all.”¹⁷ The key to the realization of people’s right to a healthy environment is “to emphasize serious environmental problems that pose health hazards to the people.” The right to a healthy environment is for both the present generation and the future generations. General Secretary Xi Jinping focuses on the present and looks to the future. He has pointed out the justice in the intergenerational distribution of the ecological environment. He stressed that we should guarantee a happy life for the people, but at the same time leave to future generations sufficient resources for their needs. The fifth is to protect the rights of ethnic minorities, women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights are put forward from the perspective of the people, which is reflected in the emphasis on the rights of the people as a whole and the special concern for the rights of specific groups. The statements of Xi Jinping on the rights of specific groups include basic concepts that “we should ensure people of all ethnic groups are equal before the law,” “women’s rights and interests are basic human rights,” “our society needs to understand, respect, care about and offer help to children, provide a favorable environment for them,” “we should let all the elderly have a happy old age” and “we should continuously improve the protection system for the rights of persons with disabilities,” and the detailed requirements and methods for realizing the rights of ethnic minorities, women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.¹⁸

 

 

 

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the human rights discourse system with Chinese characteristics has been continuously enriched and improved, so it is necessary to form a human rights theory to exercise overall leadership and coordinate the efforts of all. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s Important Statements on Respecting and Protecting Human Rights have enriched and developed Marxist human rights theory and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, becoming a scientific theory system for the development of human rights in China. Therefore, it is of decisive significance to be deeply conscious of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership, enhance confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and firmly uphold General Secretary Xi Jinping’s core position in both the CPC Central Committee and the CPC as a whole and firmly uphold the CPC Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership to unify the ideological understanding of officials and the public, deepen the “two establishments,” further consolidate the ideological foundation for respecting and protecting human rights in the new era, and unswervingly follow the path of socialist human rights.

 

 

Over the last century since the founding of the Communist Party of China, in particular the 18th CPC National Congress, we have integrated the principle of universality of human rights with national conditions, formed a systematic human rights concept to put the people first, opened up a path of human rights development with Chinese characteristics that is in line with the trend of the times, and promoted the historical achievements of human rights development in China under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core. At present, there is an upsurge in the in-depth study and implementation of the guiding principles of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee all over the country. The Party’s century-long struggle covers the history of human rights progress. The achievements and experience of human rights protection are important parts of the historical experience of the Party’s century-old struggle. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights thoroughly explain that the CPC has made respecting and protecting human rights a goal of its governance and the glorious course, splendid achievements, historical experience and significance of the development of human rights in China under the Party’s leadership in the past century.

 

 

There is always room for improvement when it comes to protecting human rights. At present, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at its core, we have achieved the first centenary goal and are marching toward the second centenary goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. We are closer, more confident, and more capable than ever before of making the goal of national rejuvenation a reality. The full development of human rights is an important part of national rejuvenation. The development of human rights should take national rejuvenation as the foothold and serve it. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights establish a scientific guideline for the future development of human rights. They provide the blueprint and guidance for promoting broader and full enjoyment of human rights by the people at a higher level and realizing the national rejuvenation smoothly.

 

 

Human rights are related to ideology and values struggles. The United States and other Western countries have long pursued double standards on human rights issues. They have used human rights as an excuse to maliciously attack and slander China and grossly interfere in China’s internal affairs, trying to smear China as a country with human rights problems. Especially recently, as the US, entrenched in its Coldwar mentality, now considers China to be its biggest strategic competitor. To maintain its hegemony, it has continuously intensified its “whole-of-government” attack on China’s human rights and roped in its allies to step up the attempted containment of China.

 

In recent years, especially since the 18th CPC National Congress, the historic achievements of China in human rights have contributed to China’s experience to all countries in the world, those countries and nations that wish to develop human rights while maintaining their independence in particular. China’s discourse power on human rights has greatly improved. However, on the whole, the right to speak in international human rights is still controlled by the US and the West, and the situation in which the West is strong and China is weak has not been fundamentally changed. “Human rights” is a general team and a great term. Human rights are an issue shared by all human beings and do not belong to any single country. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights promote the shared values of mankind, practice true multilateralism, and make unique contributions to the world human rights history. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on respecting and protecting human rights clarify the connotation of human rights, introduce the human rights concepts of China to the world, and eliminate the wanton slander and groundless accusations against China by the US and other Western Countries. They are of great significance for establishing a good international image of China in respecting and protecting human rights, improving the international influence of China’s discourse on human rights, and promoting better development of world human rights.

 

(Translated by HU Liang)

 

* ZHANG Yonghe ( 张永和 ), Professor and Executive Dean of the Human Rights Institute of Southwest University of Political Science and Law. Doctor of Laws. 

 

1. Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, Xi Jinping on Respecting and Protecting Human Rights (Beijing: Central Party Literature Press, 2021).

 

2. Xi Jinping, “Xi Jinping Holds Video Meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin”, People’s Daily, December 16, 2021.

 

3. Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, Xi Jinping on Respecting and Protecting Human Rights (Beijing: Central Party Literature Press, 2021), 164.

 

4. Xi Jinping, Speech at the Conference Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Reform and Opening Up (Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 2018), 24-25.

 

5. Xi Jinping, Zhijiang, China: A New Vision for Development (Nanjing: Zhejiang People’s Publishing House, 2013) 150.

 

6. Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Ceremony Commemorating the Bicentenary of the Birth of Marx”, People’s Daily, May 5, 2018.

 

7. Xi Jinping, “Xi Jinping Holds Video Meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin”, 7.

 

8. Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, Xi Jinping on Respecting and Protecting Human Rights, 180-181.

 

9. Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Conference Marking the 50th Anniversary of the Restoration of the Lawful Seat of the People’s Republic of China in the United Nations”, People’s Daily, October 26, 2021.

 

10. Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, Xi Jinping on Respecting and Protecting Human Rights, 22.

 

11. Ibid., 56.

 

12. Ibid., 22.

 

13. Xi Jinping, “Aligning Our Thinking with the Guiding Principles of the Third Plenary Session of the Eighteenth CPC Central Committee”, Qiushi 1(2014).

 

14. Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, Xi Jinping on Respecting and Protecting Human Rights, 27.

 

15. Ibid., 146.

 

16. Xi Jinping, Speech at the Conference Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Reform and Opening Up, 76.

 

17. Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, Xi Jinping on Respecting and Protecting Human Rights, 103.

 

18. Ibid., 109-132.