UN adopts Chinese resolution on rights

The UN Human Rights Council has adopted a resolution introduced by China that calls for nations to uphold multilateralism and work together to promote mutually beneficial cooperation.

The resolution — Promoting Mutually Beneficial Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights — was passed in Geneva on Friday. It supports the fostering of international relations based on mutual respect, fairness, justice and mutually beneficial cooperation, with the aim of building a community with a shared future for humankind, in which human rights are enjoyed by all, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Zhang Wei, co-director of the Institute for Human Rights at China University of Political Science and Law, said China has always advocated that human rights be protected through cooperation and communication rather than criticism and accusation.

“The adoption of the Chinasponsored resolution shows that the country’s wisdom is playing an important role internationally, and Chinese efforts in human rights protection have been recognized and have received support from more countries,” said Liu Huawen, a researcher of International Law at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

We live on the same planet, share common interests and face the same challenges.” Yu Jianhua, head of the Chinese mission to the UN

Pedroso Cuesta, the permanent representative of Cuba to the UN in Geneva, said: “We believe that China’s proposal to the Human Rights Council is mutually beneficial and an important contribution. It will enable us to unite and build a community with a shared future for mankind, so that all people in the world can enjoy human rights.”

Yu Jianhua, head of the Chinese mission to the UN, introduced the resolution to the council, saying that to achieve the goal of universal human rights, all countries need to firmly establish the concept of win-win cooperation.

“We live on the same planet, share common interests and face the same challenges, and we have become an interdependent community with a shared destiny,” Yu was quoted as saying.

As reported by Xinhua, the resolution calls on other countries to strengthen human rights through mutually beneficial cooperation, upon the request of and in accordance with the priorities set by the countries concerned.

The resolution also reaffirms that the work of the UN council should be guided by principles of universality, impartiality, objectivity, nonselectivity, constructive international dialogue and cooperation, with a view toward enhancing the promotion and protection of all human rights — civil, political, economic, social and cultural — including the right to development.

“All human rights are universal, indivisible, interrelated, interdependent and mutually reinforcing, and must be treated in a fair and equal manner, on the same footing and with the same emphasis,” the resolution said.