Experts laud Beijing's role in advancing human rights

Officials and experts from China and abroad have underscored the collective global responsibility to address human rights challenges and foster international solidarity for the betterment of all.

They also appreciated China's contribution to the global human rights cause during an international dialogue on economic, social and cultural rights held on Monday in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.

In a letter to the event, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China is committed to safeguarding human rights through security, promoting human rights through development and advancing human rights through cooperation.

China will continue to work with countries and United Nations agencies to uphold the common values of humanity and facilitate the healthy and sustainable development of global human rights, he said.

Valere Gabriel Eteka-Yemet, president of the National Human Rights Commission of the Republic of Congo, said that as well-educated people can cope with various challenges that may threaten their survival, the Republic of Congo has made the right to education a priority.

He expressed respect and gratitude for China's consistent support for youth development in his country, including scholarships and training opportunities for Congolese students.

He also underlined the importance of good infrastructure in realizing economic, social and cultural rights, hoping China would continue to cooperate with Global South countries to develop infrastructure, such as railways and ports, facilitating the flow of trade, people and goods.

Lauding China as a pioneer in South-South cooperation and multilateralism, he said that China and Africa have worked side by side to resolutely safeguard their legitimate rights and interests and carry out fruitful cooperation, benefiting billions of Chinese and Africans.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in a video speech that "the pursuit of economic growth at all costs has contributed to the denial of human rights and the destruction of climate and environment".

"Our current economic systems must undergo a profound transformation to ensure all decisions deliver on all human rights, economic, social, cultural, civil, and political rights, the right to development, and the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment," he said.

'Fair share for all'

Noting that anchoring economies of human rights means "a fair share for all", he said human rights can "guide countries to invest in policies that build trust, prevent tensions and make societies more resilient".

Mo Jihong, director of the Institute of Law at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said China insists that all human rights are indivisible and interdependent, describing the country as a practitioner of human rights economy.

As a member of the Global South, China actively supports other developing countries by helping them improve their development capabilities, Mo said.

China has worked with nearly 20 international organizations and implemented more than 130 projects in nearly 60 countries, benefiting more than 30 million people, he said. These initiatives cover fields including poverty reduction, food security and climate change.

China also initiated the establishment of the Group of Friends on the Promotion of Human Rights through Dialogues and Cooperation in Geneva, advocating for constructive exchanges and cooperation in the field of human rights, Mo added.

T Kham Seng, director of the International Organizations and Economic Department of Myanmar's Foreign Ministry, said the Chinese philosophy on social equity and collective betterment also prioritizes people-centered development that ensures every citizen benefits from economic growth.

"Through (the) workshop, I have learned China's significant efforts in promoting and protecting economic, social and cultural rights, and remarkable success in poverty reduction and economic reforms," she said.

China has lifted nearly 100 million rural people out of poverty and built the world's largest education system, social security system and medical and healthcare system since 2012.