Beijing - On June 14, the two-day Forum on Global Human Rights Governance commenced in Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the forum.

In the letter, President Xi stressed that China stands for safeguarding human rights with security, advocating for promoting human rights with development and advancing human rights with cooperation in the spirit of mutual respect and equality. Xi said that China is ready to work with the rest of the world to act on the principles enshrined in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, push for greater fairness, justice, reason, and inclusiveness in global human rights governance, and promote the development of a human community with a shared future.

In addition to an opening ceremony and plenary meetings, the parallel session focusing on international cooperation and global human rights governance was held simultaneously by the China Center for International Communication Development and Human Rights Institute, Southwest University of Political Science and Law. Nearly 50 senior government officials, scholars, and experts from countries and international organizations like China, France, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, Pakistan, Iran, Sri Lanka, and the UN shared their insights on how to carry out international cooperation and global human rights based on “Equality, Cooperation, and Development.”

Fu Zitang, president of Southwest University of Political Science and Law（SWUPL) and vice president of China Society for Human Rights Studies, summed up that consensus like every country having the free right to choose their own path to develop human rights, equally valuing and treating all kinds of human rights, safeguarding international fairness and justice, advocating and pushing forward international dialogue and cooperation in terms of human rights had been reached among participant government officials, scholars, and experts.

Participant government officials, scholars, and experts shared their exclusive opinions with iChongqing.

Equal, mutual-respectful, and inclusive international cooperation

Equal, mutual-respectful, and inclusive international cooperation rather than hegemonically imposing unilateral-version of human rights on other countries are appealed by experts at the forum.

In the speech by Zhang Yonghe, the executive dean of the Institute of Human Rights at the SWUPL, he mentioned multilateralism in international cooperation and global human rights governance. He said that when respecting the universality of human rights, we should emphasize diversities in developing human rights, promote extensive values of people, and form consensuses. When the Vienna Declaration values and reiterates the universality of human rights, it also explicitly expresses opinions about the particularities of developing countries regarding human rights and puts diversification clearly in its efforts.

In the opinion of Fabio Marcelli, lawyer of the Institute for International Legal Studies of the National Research Council of Italy, when carrying out international cooperation, you can not reach the satisfactory situation of one country without reaching the satisfactory situation in other countries. Imposing or trying to impose one’s views on others is negative for international cooperation in human rights. Pragmatic international cooperation should be carried out by exchanging views and experiences and, most importantly, sharing resources, including financial resources, knowledge, technologies, and activities should be carried out in common.

Usman Jadoon, director general (UN) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, mentioned that politicizing human rights and targeting countries for political purposes is the main challenge to improving human rights. Countries should realize this challenge and genuinely try to carry out win-win cooperation that allows all sides to benefit in the largest interest of human rights.

Underlining China’s significant role in developing human rights globally

Many participant experts at the forum praised China’s contribution to developing human rights not only in China but also worldwide.

Rao Ningning, deputy director of the Centre for the Study of Human Rights Discourse, School of Foreign Languages, the SWUPL, said that China’s protection of human rights is not about slogans or propaganda but transforming the original abstract concept of human rights into the daily life of ordinary people through human rights practice. China proposes that people’s happiness is the ultimate human right, which is the embodiment and concretization of human rights. Liao Yuhan, Chongqing Centre for Equal Social Development, Department of BRI Country-Specific Human Rights Evaluation, said that Chinese NGOs actively contributed to societal development in numerous ways, playing an indispensable role in advancing human rights and promoting their integration. It was crucial for the international community to recognize and acknowledge this.

Usman Jadoon said that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by China had directly contributed to Pakistan’s social, economic, and people development. The BRI has helped an increasing number of people in Pakistan shake off poverty, benefit from social dividends, and can give a better life to their children.

Noor Aziah Mohd Awal, vice chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam), said she was impressed by how the Chinese government had enhanced Chinese people’s human rights, especially the Chinese government’s efforts in eradicating poverty in China. She thought that eliminating poverty was one of the very important parts of meeting the basic needs of human beings, and so China provided a successful example for many parts of the world to learn.

Peter Hediger, a sinologist, historian, and international security policy expert, commented that China brought up proposals and dedicated itself to implementing them instead of enforcing them. It’s the strength of China’s foreign policy.