Jia Guide, China’s Permanent Representative to the UN Office at Geneva and other international organizations in Switzerland, said that civilization is diverse and all countries’ independent choice of human rights development paths should be respected.
According to China News Service, the 62nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council held a high-level dialogue marking the 20th anniversary of the Council’s establishment on Friday (June 19). Jia Guide attended the meeting and expounded on China’s position.
Jia Guide said that the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Human Rights Council is an important moment to relive our original aspiration, reflect on the present, and look to the future. In order to strengthen and improve the work of the Human Rights Council, the principles of sovereign equality and adherence to international rule of law should be upheld, maintaining universality, fairness, objectivity, non-selectivity, and constructive dialogue and cooperation, while opposing the politicization of human rights issues.
He stressed the need to advocate a people-centered approach, practice multilateralism, and promote a balanced advancement of civil and political rights and economic, social and cultural rights, placing the right to development in a prominent position on the multilateral human rights agenda. Action-orientation and promotion of universal fairness should be emphasized, increasing capacity-building and technical assistance on the basis of the consent of the country concerned.
Jia Guide stated that civilization is diverse, and the independent choice of human rights development paths by each country should be respected, with a proper handling of the dialectical relationship between the universality of human rights and the diversity of civilizations. China attaches great importance to promoting and protecting human rights and will unswervingly follow its own path of human rights development. China is willing to work with all countries to jointly promote the sound development of the international human rights cause, and work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind.
During the dialogue, UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a video message, and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, President of the Human Rights Council Omar Zniber and other participants also engaged in dialogue.