Chongqing - December 10, observed worldwide as Human Rights Day, witnessed the 2025 Li Buyun Law Prize Award Ceremony in Chongqing. Held at Southwest University of Political Science and Law (SWUPL), the event also commemorated the 80th anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Charter, drawing participation from leading legal and human rights scholars and experts across China and beyond.

The Li Buyun Law Prize is one of China’s most distinguished legal accolades. Established in honor of the esteemed jurist Mr. Li Buyun and initiated by the Shanghai Institute of Finance and Law, the award is presented annually to individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to Chinese legal studies, Chinese and foreign legal studies, and legal education exchange.

The Li Buyun Law Prize was awarded to Professor Zhang Yonghe (Photo by Xuelin Mu)

This year’s prize was awarded to Professor Zhang Yonghe, Executive Director of the Human Rights Institute at SWUPL, in recognition of his exceptional achievements in advancing the theory and practice of human rights under socialism with Chinese characteristics. Among his influential contributions is the significant viewpoint that “the right to development is the enduring main theme of human civilization.” This perspective broadens the traditional understanding, arguing that the right to development is a universal human concern, not limited to developing nations.

As this year’s laureate, Professor Zhang continues to focus on refining China’s human rights development. He emphasizes that while China has achieved remarkable success in poverty alleviation, sustained attention must be paid to preventing relapse into poverty and enhancing social welfare protections, particularly for vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities.

The ceremony’s host city, Chongqing—a municipality known for its mountainous terrain—has been proactively addressing accessibility through its “Accessible Mountain City” initiative. This effort has equipped the city with infrastructure designed to serve persons with mobility challenges, earning praise from residents who benefit from these improvements. Notably, Professor Zhang was the first to propose the “Accessible Mountain City” concept as a means to protect the rights of special groups in Chongqing.

During the event, international scholars commended Professor Zhang’s lifelong dedication to human rights. Professor Dr. Krisztina Karsai from the University of Szeged, Hungary, praised him as a scholar “whose lifelong dedication to human dignity, legal education, and public dialogue has left a lasting mark not only in China, but far beyond.”

The English and Chinese versions of Women In China's New Era were unveiled (photo by Xuelin Mu)

The ceremony also featured the launch of the Chinese and English editions of the book Women in China’s New Era, edited by Professor Zhang. The publication highlights stories of development and self-realization among ordinary Chinese women working in diverse fields, including scientific research, business, education, and philanthropy. It was previously showcased at the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women.

Dr. Djibril Diallo, former spokesperson of the UN Secretary-General, delivering a speech at the ceremony (photo by Xuelin Mu)

The progress of Chinese women represents one facet of China’s broader human rights achievements over recent decades. These accomplishments also contribute to advancing global human rights. In an interview with iChongqing, Dr. Djibril Diallo, former spokesperson of the UN Secretary-General, noted that “China has set a good example in linking human rights with human sustainable development—whether in health, poverty alleviation, education—especially for women—or environmental protection.”

In observance of the 80th anniversary of the UN Charter, a thematic discussion on “Peace, Development and Human Rights” was also held, where scholars and experts exchanged in-depth views on these interconnected global issues.