Countries can follow ‘various paths’ on human rights, says Chinese President Xi Jinping
- Xi made the comments in a letter to a forum that heard some Western countries were acting like a ‘human rights teacher’ despite their own failings
- Delegates from Uzbekistan and Equatorial Guinea also praised Beijing’s record, but a UN representative warned of a growing threat to human rights defenders
Xi made his statement in a letter to a forum, attended by delegates from 58 countries and the United Nations and African Union, to mark the 30th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, a UN document promoting human rights.
In the letter, Xi said that “global human rights governance is facing serious challenges” and that China is following “a path of human rights development that suits its own national conditions”.
“[We advocate] guaranteeing the equitable enjoyment of human rights by all peoples through various paths of modernisation,” Xi said.
“China stands for advancing human rights with cooperation in the spirit of mutual respect and equality, putting into action the Global Civilisation Initiative, and deepening exchanges and mutual learning among civilisations,” Xi added.
Xi’s congratulatory message was read by Li Shulei, a member of the policymaking Politburo and head of the Communist Party’s publicity department.
The event was jointly organised by the State Council Information Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the China International Development Cooperation Agency, which is responsible for the country’s foreign aid.