Better livelihoods reflect better human rights

People across the world want their human rights to be well protected so they can lead a relatively trouble-free and peaceful life. But different countries, due to their different cultures and social environments, have different ways and measures to protect human rights.

Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the Communist Party of China, the Chinese government and the Chinese people, through arduous struggles, have led the world’s most populous country from poverty and hunger, created partly due to century-long foreign aggressions and wars, to prosperity and, in the process, written a magnificent chapter of human rights.

A congratulatory message sent by CPC Central Committee General Secretary Xi Jinping to the 2015 human rights forum in Beijing said the Party and Chinese government have always respected the human rights of the Chinese people, and taken measures to ensure they enjoy those rights.

‘Working for people’ is CPC’s guiding principle

As the ruling party, the CPC has made “working for people” the guiding principle and starting point for all work. “Serving the people”, “being responsible for the people” and “being subject to people’s examination” are the important principles the Party and the Chinese government have always adhered to. In particular, since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in November 2012, “people-centric” has become the basic principle for promoting the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in various fields, and creating a prosperous and happy life for the people the top human rights cause.

“Development is the foremost principle,” former leader Deng Xiaoping said. The principle applies to promoting not only national prosperity and rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, but also ensuring every Chinese citizen enjoys basic human rights.

However, facts show that a country without sufficient resources may not be able to guarantee its people some human rights, even such civic and political rights as freedom of speech, the right to vote and to be elected to public office, and the right to a fair trial. Which means the guaranteeing of economic, social and cultural rights is highly dependent on the resources available to a country.

China protects people’s rights and interests

China’s untiring efforts to propel economic development and social progress over the past decades show it is committed to offering more effective guarantees to its people to enjoy their rights and protect their interests. The everincreasing sense of happiness of the Chinese people since the founding of New China in 1949, especially since the launch of reform and opening-up 40 years ago, is proof that the Chinese people today enjoy comprehensive human rights.

Some Western countries have failed to do a good job of protecting and promoting their citizens, yet they point an accusing finger at China and some other developing countries when it comes to protection of human rights. Turning a blind eye to the huge progress China has made in improving its people’s human rights, these countries, from time to time, have questioned China’s human rights record and tried to launch a smear campaign against the CPC and the Chinese government. For example, they often denounce China’s high-speed economic development, saying it has compromised their markets, and workers’ rights and interests.

Ironically, such accusations are a kind of recognition of China’s efforts to boost its economic development, which in turn has created millions of domestic jobs and thus promoted the cause of human rights.

Rule of law is the best guarantee of human rights

Besides, the rule of law is the best guarantee and the last line of defense for human rights. The Chinese government has always attached utmost importance to establishing and improving a sound legal system, and formulating a series of laws and regulations that respect and protect human rights.

Thanks to coordinated development, and a series of law enforcement and judicial practices advanced by the authorities, Chinese people have exercised their economic, political, social, cultural and environmental rights, have enjoyed a stable political and social atmosphere, are well employed, and have led a respectable life while working for a better future.

In the new era, the major steps China has taken to comprehensively advance the rule of law has promoted fairness and justice, which has ensured that people better enjoy their human rights.

A true global community comprises all countries

Different from some countries that always point an accusing finger at others or oppose economic globalization by adopting a “beggar-thy-neighbor” or self-centric policy to divert public attention from the domestic difficulties they face, China has always believed that only with the participation of all countries can a community with a shared future be built, and has always tried to work with the rest of the world to overcome common hardships.

As suggested by the design and implementation of initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the BRICS cooperative mechanism and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, China wants to bind together the feelings of the people of China and the rest of the world, and work together to fend off global risks and realize global common prosperity. The author is executive director of the Human Rights Research Center and vice-dean of the School of Law at Jilin University. The views don’t necessarily represent those of China Daily.