Geneva: Speaking to the UN Nations Human Rights Council, China's foreign minister on Monday called on all countries to uphold 'sovereign equality' and stressed that no country can teach others about human rights.
According to Anadolu Agency, the current international situation is 'complex and intertwined' and the post-World War II international order as well as global human rights governance are facing new challenges, Wang Yi told the high-level gathering via video link, according to a Foreign Ministry readout. He urged countries to uphold 'sovereign equality' and to safeguard 'the original aspirations of global human rights governance.' No country can act as a 'human rights teacher,' he added.
Wang emphasized that human rights development should be rooted in a country's specific national conditions and responsive to the needs of its people. He called for more equitable participation, decision-making, and benefit-sharing among all countries, with greater attention to the voices and demands of the Global South. He underscored the importance of abiding by international rule of law to solidify the foundation of global human rights governance.
Wang urged all countries to jointly uphold the 'golden rule' of non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations and to 'resolutely reject words and deeds that create double standards in the name of human rights.' He also advocated for multilateralism and addressing challenges to global human rights governance, including the rejection of all forms of colonialism and racial discrimination and properly addressing new issues such as artificial intelligence, climate change, and human rights.
Wang stated that the international community should focus on the right to development at the center of the multilateral human rights agenda, ensuring progress is visible, tangible, and accessible. He noted that Beijing will continue developing its 'whole-process people's democracy' to ensure that 'China's modernization can benefit all people more extensively and equitably,' as the country begins its 15th Five-Year Plan this year.
Beijing is willing to collaborate with all countries to 'promote common development and prosperity, uphold international fairness and justice, safeguard common values of humanity, and build a community with a shared future for all mankind,' Wang added, emphasizing that the progress of human rights civilization should benefit the entire world.