FM calls for consensus on advancing human rights

Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on Monday for stronger global consensus, solidarity and cooperation in advancing the cause of global human rights, while condemning the misuse of relevant issues as a pretext for interfering in other countries' internal affairs and hindering their development.

Addressing the 55th session of the Human Rights Council of United Nations via video link, Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, emphasized the shared responsibility of the international community in protecting and promoting human rights.

The senior diplomat highlighted the tragic human cost of recent crises, including the Palestine-Israel conflict that has resulted in nearly 30,000 civilian deaths and displaced almost 2 million people.

He stressed that ensuring fair, equal and effective protection of human rights for every ethnic group and individual is the common responsibility of the international community.

Wang advocated for openness, inclusiveness and respect for the diversity of world civilizations and the autonomy of countries to choose their human rights development paths without being imposed external values or models.

He called for win-win cooperation, encouraging dialogue to build consensus and exchange for mutual learning, while highlighting the importance of advancing human rights through better security, development and cooperation.

Emerging issues, such as the effects of artificial intelligence on human rights, must be properly addressed, he said.

Impartial and objective

He emphasized the need for UN human rights bodies to operate impartially and objectively, adhering to principles of nonselectivity and nonpoliticization, and giving equal importance to all types of human rights.

Reflecting on China's human rights achievements, Wang noted the country's historic elimination of absolute poverty, the development of the world's largest education, social security and healthcare systems, and the promotion of equal rights among all ethnic groups.

He highlighted China's active participation in global human rights governance and its efforts to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

No one can claim to be perfect in human rights protection, he said, because there is always room for improvement.

China is committed to sharing the fruits of modernization more broadly and fairly among all its people, continuously improving the level of human rights protection, he said.

The country always links its future with that of people around the world, actively promotes universal values shared by all humanity, and works with all parties to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, he said.