Chinese envoy calls for respect to state's right to choose human rights development path

The United Nations (UN) human rights office should respect the right of each state to choose independently the path for human rights development in accordance with their national conditions, the Chinese Ambassador to the UN in Geneva said on Tuesday.

Speaking on behalf of a group of more than 30 countries, Chen Xu, China's permanent representative to the UN Office in Geneva, told the 51st Session of the Human Rights Council that mutual trust and respect is vital to ensure successful cooperation between the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and member states.

Chen said that the ongoing resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic exposes serious under-investment in economic, social and cultural rights, the right to development, and the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health by multilateral human rights mechanisms.

"We therefore call on the OHCHR to attach greater importance and channel more resources to these rights, put the elimination of inequality at the core of its work, help all countries especially developing countries overcome the challenges of the pandemic and achieve their economic, social and sustainable development," Chen said.

The Chinese ambassador also stressed that the Human Rights Council should serve as a platform for constructive dialogue and cooperation for all parties, and all parties should refrain from politicization and double standards at the Human Rights Council.