By Wang Weijin, Research Team on "A Comparative Study on Human Rights Development Approaches in China and US", Research Institute of Public Administration and Human Resources, DRC

Research Report，Special Issue No.48 2016 ( Total 1523) 2016-12-22

Abstract: Human rights in China and the U.S. are not innate, but acquired through gradual development and years of struggle. The development of human rights in China had experienced struggles with famine, hunger and poverty and had been subjected to bullying and humiliation. Against such a background, China has given prominence to people’s rights to subsistence and development, focusing on the promotion and protection of economic, social and cultural rights while coordinating and promoting civil rights and political rights. Against the landscape of a migrant culture, human rights in the U.S. are propelled by social movement tradition and free from the burden of feudal economy, and therefore only civil and political rights are recognized. As the role of civil society in the development of human rights can’t be ignored, the U.S. has taken human rights as an important diplomatic tool to serve national interest. With regard to the further development of human rights, China and the U.S. could refer to each other’s experience in this regard. Both countries need to observe international treaties and protect human rights by the rule of law; follow the course of human rights in light of respective national conditions and strive to transcend the restrictions imposed by past history and traditional culture; draw upon each other’s experience for reference on the basis of mutual respect, equal dialogue, non-confrontation and non-interference to each other’s internal affairs; attach greater importance to human rights education; and encourage social organizations to further play their due role.

Key words: human rights, development approach, comparison between China and the U.S.