Adhering to the Correct Outlook on Human Rights to Promote Sound Development
of the International Human Rights Cause
To ensure full enjoyment of human rights by all is the great dream of humanity and the unremitting pursuit of the Chinese Communists. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), General Secretary Xi Jinping has delivered a series of important discourses on respecting and protecting human rights, which are of great and far-reaching significance to better protecting the human rights of the Chinese people and promoting more equitable, fairer, and more reasonable and inclusive global governance of human rights. The 3rd Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee took place at a critical period for the endeavor to build a great country and move toward national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization. Adopted at this important meeting, the Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization (hereinafter referred to as the Resolution) presents more than 300 reform measures covering economic, political, cultural, social and ecological dimensions. As an overall plan and call to action, the Resolution will see us comprehensively advancing broader and deeper reform on the new journey in the new era. It serves as a programmatic document to guide efforts to promote comprehensive progress in human rights in China, and sheds great light on global governance to address common challenges in human rights.
At present, humanity is once again at a crossroads of history. Momentous changes of a like unseen in a century are accelerating across the world. Geopolitical conflicts are intensifying, and development gaps are widening. The Cold War mentality is resurfacing amid the resurgence of protectionism. The global human rights governance system is undergoing complex and profound adjustments. In recent years, China has hosted a number of international forums to discuss in depth the development path and global governance of human rights and harness complementary strengths for common progress through exchanges and mutual learning, which has been widely commended by the Global South. At the recent session of the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, the Chinese delegation stated the guidelines of the 3rd Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee in a comprehensive and multifaceted manner, and elaborated on China's human rights path, concepts and achievements, as well as its positions and proposals on global human rights governance, which has received warm responses from the international community. More than 100 countries voiced support for China's just position on human rights at the United Nations. They explicitly opposed the politicization of human rights issues and the interference in the internal affairs of other countries under the pretext of human rights, and called for respect for the right of each country to choose independently the development path of human rights. This once again fully proves the influence and appeal of China's path of human rights development. The underlying principles in human rights contained in the guidelines of the 3rd Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee embody the Chinese solution to the contemporary issue of human rights protection, and provide a new alternative for the vast number of developing countries to independently explore their paths of human rights development with their distinctive features.
First, Adhering to the path of human rights development in line with national conditions. The Resolution states that the overall objectives of further deepening reform comprehensively are to improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernize China's system and capacity for governance. The direction in which we advance decides our future; the path we have chosen decides our destiny. The direction, stance and principles for China’s reform have all been defined. We will take neither the old path of being closed and inflexible, nor the erroneous path of abandoning socialism. Human rights have historical, specific and practical contexts. In the practice of advancing the cause of human rights, China has integrated the principle of universality of human rights with national conditions, blazed a path of human rights development that conforms to the trend of the times and suits its national conditions, and thus secured historic achievements in human rights protection. This reveals to the world that there is no universally applicable model and that no country should impose its own will on others. Human rights can only be advanced in the context of national conditions and people's needs.
Second, Applying a people-centered approach to human rights. The Resolution highlights the principle of putting people first in further deepening reform comprehensively. The people are the creators of history. They represent the main force in advancing reform and opening up. Reform is launched for the people and driven by the people. China is committed to comprehensively deepening reform to address the concerns of the people and live up to their expectations. The affinity to the people is the most significant feature of China's path of human rights development. The Chinese people have always been the chief participants, promoters and beneficiaries of China's human rights development. The happiness of the people is the primary human right. In advancing human rights, countries should make the people's aspirations for a better life their starting point and ultimate goal, keep making efforts to resolve the most practical problems that are of the utmost and immediate concern to the people, and promote the free and all-round development of people.
Third, Upholding the rights to subsistence and development as the primary and basic human rights. The Resolution emphasizes that ensuring and enhancing the people's well-being in the course of development is one of the major tasks of Chinese modernization. China's reform is inspired and guided by the objectives of promoting social fairness and justice and improving people's well-being, and strives to address the most practical problems of the utmost and immediate concern to the people, and meet the people's ever-growing aspirations for a better life through high-quality development. China upholds the principle that development is for the people and by the people and that its fruits should be shared by the people, so as to give people a stronger, more assured and more sustainable sense of gain, happiness and security through development. Development is the eternal theme of human society. The right to development is an inalienable human right. The Global Development Initiative (GDI) proposed by China aims to bring development back to the center of the international agenda, fully implement the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, create a favorable environment for the economic development of all countries, and effectively safeguard the equal right to development of all peoples.
Fourth, Promoting coordinated progress in all human rights. The Resolution places focus on building a high-standard socialist market economy, advancing whole-process people's democracy, developing a strong socialist culture in China, improving the people's quality of life, building a Beautiful China, advancing the Peaceful China Initiative to a higher level, and improving the Party's capacity for leadership and long-term governance. These seven priorities have a significant role in improving various human rights, including civil and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights, environmental and security rights, and the rights of specific groups. Human rights are a rich and holistic concept. All categories of human rights are equally important, interrelated, interdependent and mutually reinforcing. We should take a comprehensive and systematic approach to coordinate and promote the comprehensive development of all human rights. In October 2023, the resolution "Promoting and Protecting Economic, Social and Cultural Rights within the Context of Addressing Inequalities", initiated by China and other over 80 countries, was adopted by consensus by the United Nations Human Rights Council. The resolution will contribute to resolving the long-standing problem of emphasizing civil and political rights over economic, social and cultural rights, as well as the right to development, in global human rights governance.
Fifth, Safeguarding human rights by rule of law. The Resolution laid out the key tasks for promoting socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics, including deepening reforms in legislation. Law is the very foundation of governance. China has vigorously advanced overall law-based governance as a part of the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy, which has provided a powerful guarantee for the two miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability. China adheres to the correct outlook on human rights, upholding the principle that all are equal before the law. We have incorporated respect for and protection of human rights into all aspects of legislation, law enforcement, administration of justice, and observance of the law, and worked to ensure that people feel fairness and justice prevail in every case. In promoting human rights around the world, we should also be committed to the rule of law based on fairness, justice and equality. We firmly uphold the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, champion the equality of all countries, large or small, and reject "double standards" in human rights and safeguard international fairness and justice. We strive to effectively address the inequalities of rights, opportunities and rules in the context of global human rights governance.
Sixth, Getting engaged in constructive dialogue and cooperation. The Resolution underlines that Chinese modernization is the modernization of peaceful development. Aggression and seeking hegemony is never in the genes of the Chinese nation. China will never follow the path that a strong country is bound to seek hegemony. We always view differences with an open and inclusive mind and accept them with mutual respect. Some countries politicize, instrumentalize and weaponize human rights, impose their own values and development models on others, draw lines based on ideologies and political systems, create small blocs against those with different views, and deliberately create divisions and confrontations in the international human rights arena, which has become the most prominent challenge to global human rights governance. China has all along held high the banner of dialogue and cooperation, and played a constructive role in global human rights governance. We stand for safeguarding human rights with security, promoting human rights with development, and advancing human rights with cooperation. China has pushed for the adoption of resolutions on "Promoting Mutually Beneficial Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights" by the United Nations Human Rights Council, launched the Group of Friends on the Promotion of Human Rights Through Dialogue and Cooperation in Geneva, and actively put forward a series of initiatives and proposals to promote international cooperation on human rights based on the principles of impartiality, objectivity, non-selectivity and non-politicization. These efforts have been well received and applauded by the international community. China stands ready to engage in equal-footed dialogues and exchanges with other countries and United Nations human rights bodies and work together to promote the sound development of the global human rights cause.
The journey ahead may be long and arduous, but with sustained actions, we will eventually reach our destination. China remains firm in pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace and is dedicated to building a community with a shared future for humanity while staying committed to the common values of all humanity. We put into action the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI) and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), and call for an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. We will be part of the efforts in leading the reform and development of the global governance system, and foster a favorable external environment for further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization. In the endeavor to build a great country and move toward national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization, China will certainly continue raising the level of human rights protection and promote the free and comprehensive development of people. Meanwhile, China will take an active and constructive part in international cooperation on human rights, and continue making new and greater contributions to the sound development of the global human rights cause.
(The essay was published in CHINA INTERNATIONAL STUDIES on November 11, 2024)
