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China registers historic progress in human rights

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-12-09 14:11

I think that to seek healthy development of human rights in the world, we must, first of all, face up to the prominent problems in the present-day world and rise up to safeguard the rights to survival and development of the people of all countries.

At present, armed conflicts and other traditional security problems still exist; non-traditional security threats such as terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and environmental pollution have become more and more prominent, seriously threatening the innocent lives of millions of people. The South-North and poor-rich gaps have been further enlarged, with the developed countries with a population of less than 20 percent of the world's total controlling more than 85 percent of the global wealth while developing countries with more than 80 percent of the world's population enjoying less than 15 percent of the wealth of the world.

There are more than one billion people in developing countries who are still suffering from poverty, hunger and diseases. Their survival and dignity have been seriously threatened. Only by rooting out the factors that seriously threaten and sabotage human rights, can the rights of the people of all countries be realized.

Secondly, it is imperative to integrate the universality of human rights with the national conditions of various countries. All people of all countries should enjoy freedom and equality. This is the universal pursuit and common ideal of mankind.

But, restrained by economic development level, cultural traditions and social systems, people have different understandings and demands with regard to human rights and their human rights problems that need priority solution also vary. Under the precondition of recognizing the universality of human rights, all governments and people have the right to adopt different policy measures and ways and means according to their respective national conditions to seek models and paths for human rights development best suited to their national conditions. The diversification of human rights development models not only fully reflects the diversity of civilizations and the wisdom and intelligence of the people of all countries, but also enriches and develops the human rights theories and practice in the world.

Respect for the diversity of the human rights development models not only means respect for the national conditions of all countries, the wisdom and creativity of their people, the diversity of civilizations and ways of living, but also constitutes the important precondition for human rights development in the world.

Lastly, it is imperative to strengthen dialogue, exchange and cooperation and oppose confrontation and power politics. Human rights are, in essence, an issue within the sovereignty of a country.

The UN Charter has clearly provided that the organization is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its Members and nothing contained in the present Charter shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state or shall require the Members to submit such matters to settlement under the present Charter. In promoting human rights, only by carrying out constructive dialogue, exchange and cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual respect, enhancing mutual understanding and eliminating misunderstanding, expanding consensus, reducing difference and learning from each other, drawing on each other's experience and helping each other, can all countries in the world achieve common progress and development.

Dialogue and cooperation are conducive not only to human rights progress in all countries but also to the harmonious and healthy development of human rights in the world. Hegemonism and power politics can never come to pass with regard to human rights. On the contrary, it contributes nothing to human rights development. Instead, it will poison the international relations and harm the healthy growth of the cause of human rights in the world.

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