Sunday, December 15, 2019

Voices From the 2019 South-South Human Rights Forum Organized by the Chinese State Council Information Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs--Human Rights as Development?





The 2019 South-South Human Rights Forum, organized by the Chinese State Council Information Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was held in Beijing, China December 10-11, 2019.The English language press release provided by the Xinhua News Agency and reported by MSN, described the event in these terms:
2019 South-South Human Rights Forum builds consensus among developing countries

The 2019 South-South Human Rights Forum is held in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 11, 2019. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The 2019 South-South Human Rights Forum was held in Beijing from Tuesday to Wednesday. Attendees from home and overseas carried out in-depth exchanges and reached consensus based on the forum's theme "Diversity of Civilizations and Global Development of Human Rights."

Primary topics covered by the forum included "Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind and Global Human Rights Governance," "The Right to Development: The Belt and Road Initiative Promotes the Realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" and "The Practice and Experience of Human Rights Protection in the Countries of Global South."

The 2019 South-South Human Rights Forum was acclaimed by attendees as an important platform to promote the development and human rights progress of developing countries.

The forum was organized by the State Council Information Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. More than 300 officials, experts, scholars and diplomats from over 80 countries, regions and international organizations attended the forum. ■

The Forum seemed to allude (if only in the wispiest terms) to the much better known UN Business and Human Rights Forum, the theme of the 8th celebration of which had been--"Time to act: Governments as catalysts for business respect for human rights." The UN Forum had been held the third week of November (for my observations see here Part 1; Part 2).

The contrast between the two Forums were noticeable in the longer description of the South South Forum provided (in Chinese) on the South South Forum Website. Singapore based CNA (an English language Asian news network) was critical but in the process exposed the fissures that are beginning to divide two distinct conversations about human rights in globalization;
BEIJING: China is ramping up a global campaign to promote its own vision of human rights, inviting the likes of North Korea and Syria to a forum on the topic and drafting other countries to back its policies at the UN. Western nations have condemned China's rights record, including a security crackdown that has detained an estimated one million mostly Muslim minorities in re-education camps in northwest Xinjiang region. China is responding with an increasingly strong counter-narrative, which emphasises security and economic development over civil and political freedoms. "The people of each country all have the right to decide for themselves their human rights development path," Chinese vice foreign minister Ma Zhaoxu told delegates at a summit on the issue this week. Attendees at the "South-South human rights forum" included representatives from North Korea, Pakistan and Syria - three countries with their own chequered human rights records. One of the speakers at the forum was a political adviser to President Bashar al-Assad, who has been accused of a series of chemical attacks and indiscriminate bombings of civilian targets in Syria's civil war. (China ramps up campaign to redefine 'human rights')
The criticism, of course, is both accurate and misses the mark. It is true enough that the South-South Human Rights Forum might have been larded with "rejectionist" states.  At the same time, rejectionism itself suggests the possibility of the construction of a counter-narrative.  That counter-narrative means little if it comes from Damascus.  It might well count for more if it is developed under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party and its state apparatus.

This post considers some of the scope and implications of some of the differences between the "standard" human rights narrative overseen by the U.N. apparatus in Geneva and (sometimes) New York, and what may be emerging from South-South conversations under the leadership of China. It starts with my own brief reflections on the South-South Forum and then includes links to and translations of some of the key materials on the South South Human Rights Forum Website from which the reflections are drawn.  The materials that follow include the original Chinese along with some crude English translations.

For those interested in specific conceptions of the integrity of Human rights as a global concept, and on the movements toward fracture, which appear to mirror the fracture of global trade along regional lines, the materials below might be helpful. Particularly useful may be the emerging concretions of Human Rights from the Chinese side, hints of which might be gleaned by the speeches of the high officials who attended the Beijing event.




Taken together, the thrust of the South-South Human Rights Forum points to an interesting emergence of a counter-narrative to the human rights discourse that has been driven primarily by Western NGOs, and international organizations. The success of that counter narrative remains to be seen.  It has hardly taken on an identifiable form, but its outlines are now apparent.  Let me briefly outline them.

1.  There is know in evidence a human rights discourse that effectively abandons the post 1945 Western model that was grounded in the centrality of the individual and the premise of human dignity as the unalterable foundation of all human rights structures.  The whole edifice of human rights, which one might consider to have been built on the foundation of an internationalization of Article 1 of the German Basic Law does not serve as the ordering element of at least some variations of South-South human rights frameworks.

2.  In place of human dignity, some of the members South-South Forum offer development as a substitute. This can be understood an interesting advance of the development--from the time of the great human rights debates of the 1970s that saw the UDHR fracture between civil and political rights, on the one hand, and economic, social and political rights on the other.  The South South Forum offers an updated version of the Soviet Bloc- Bandung Conference position modified by the thrust of developments in the 1980s that produced the UN Declaration on the Right to Development (1986). It offers a view of human rights measured in the long term (that is one that s based on aggregate long term improvement even at the cost of short term deficiencies deliberately tolerated for the greater good in the future). That is, one might have to sacrifice human rights now (assuming agreement on the nature and extent of that sacrifice) as long as it is done for the likelihood of a brighter future for all--measured in terms of economic, social, cultural and environmental progress. This is a very different vision from that cultivated in Geneva.

3. This model is already being delivered within the UN apparatus, as well as in these stand alone conferences. The SSHRF English language website included a link to a report of the activities of the head of China's UN Mission in Geneva on the eve of the 8th UN Forum on Business and Human Rights:
"Countries need to bear in mind the practical circumstances, consider both universality and specialty, and strive to find a tailored and effective model of promoting and protecting human rights," Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), told the UN General Assembly's Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Affairs Committee. Speaking of China's position and proposals on human rights, Zhang said that promoting and protecting human rights is "the common ideal of humanity," adding "there is still a long way to go in the journey towards common development and human rights enjoyed by all." The ambassador said that countries must remain committed to building a peaceful international environment. "Countries should abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, respect others' sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, resolve disputes through political dialogue and consultation, and work together to build a world of lasting peace and universal security." (Countries must follow path of human rights development suited to national conditions: Chinese envoy)
Much of this can be found in the 2017 Full Text of Beijing Declaration adopted by the First South-South Human Rights Forum.

4.The template for this approach to human rights is China itself.  That is the fundamental point of the speech of Huang Kunming, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of the Propaganda Department of the CPC Central Committee, redacted (originally only in Chinese) below. The China model of human rights, then, can be understood as the path offered by Deng Xiaoping to China a generation ago: Emancipating the Mind, Reform and Opening Up. That is not enough--to make it work, Chinese human rights combines the theory of Reform and Opening Up with the fundamental premises of Socialist Modernization (the focus on the development of productive forces).  Once that is undertaken (over the course of a generation or so), then the state and its apparatus will be ready to more precisely inculcate appropriate values--to engage in the political work that then refocuses from productivity and development of the economic resources of the nation, to a refocus on the development of the cultural and social position of the community within that productive culture.  That is the baseline against which Socialist Human Rights will be developed.  And that is precisely what is being offered as the South South win win variation on human rights. 

5. The approach makes perfect sense in the context of the political and constitutional theories under which these two systems have developed (e.g., discussed here).  

A. Western liberal democracy developed its liberties based baseline of individual human rights against the backdrop of producing a democratic governmental order designed to preserve the social and cultural expectations of its populations (that is to preserve and perfect the customs and traditions of the people. There was no other specific goal. And indeed until the 20th century there was a singular unwillingness to engage in social engineering (as opposed to class based animal husbandry as social policy); though that unwillingness did not produce opposition to more "organic" cultural evolution (discussed e.g., here). At its worst, this is the society that perpetuates discrimination; it is a society as comfortable with slavery as it is with a pluralistic and multicultural society.  And it is one that tends to revolve around an abstraction, human dignity, with precious few baselines that do not move across space and time (discussed, e.g., here).

b. Marxist Leninist states start from a transformative basic premise for legitimacy--the core obligation to establish a communist society within the nation.  It is against this that all of the work of vanguard parties are judged.  That baseline then, doesn't look so much to perfection of the present as transformation for a more perfect future. At its worst and most corrupt, of course, it becomes a facade behind which all sorts of atrocities may be perpetuated--a Darkness at Noon society. But it need not always be at its worst.  That is the point that China has sought to make over the last generation.  And in the process it offers itself as a model for preventing the sort of Soviet decadence (and less spoken the Cultural Revolution error) that can tumble this approach.
6.  But this model is not offered merely for China; the point of all of this is to suggest that the Chinese model is transposable--and indeed more transposable given the positions of developing states than the liberal democratic model that has not appeared to have had much traction outside of its states of origin. This is in part a new form of Communist internationalism.  But it is more than that.  As the speech by Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu suggests, it is also a model that might be harmonized with or contribute t the development of the human rights project which, to date, has not embedded many of these sensibilities of the Marxist Leninist or developing world within its conceptual universe or in its sensibilities. That is especially the case with respect to the judgments inherent in the current human rights discourse that might be understood as more penetrative than engaging in their relations downstream. That is not to say that there are no problems or that the current regime has failed.  It is only to say, as far as the Chinese are concerned, that there is room for further development.

7.  But ultimately the two views will be fundamentally incompatible--almost to the same extent as the baselines for the ordering of their political and economic systems are fundamentally incompatible.  Where that incompatibility takes global discourse remains to be seen.  But what will become ore prominent will be exercises like this South South Human Rights Conference mechanism. In the process the cultural significance of word--human rights, development, environment--may continue to change substantially.  In the West through a merger between sustainability, bio-diversity and human rights.  In the South (including its Chinese Marxist variation, one which may drive the discussion), through a merger of development, environment, and the fundamental obligations of those in power to popular collectives.  

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 “2019·南南人权论坛”凝聚人权共识 尊重各国选择发展道路的权利
发布时间:2019-12-12 08:59:14 | 来源:经济日报·中国经济网 | 作者:仇莉娜 | 责任编辑:叶开

关键词:人权 发展 发展中国家

12月10日至11日,“2019·南南人权论坛”在北京举办。与会中外嘉宾围绕“文明多样性与世界人权事业的发展”这一主题,着重就文明多样性背景下的人权道路选择、构建人类命运共同体与全球人权治理、从发展权视角:“一带一路”促进2030年可持续发展议程、南方国家人权保障的实践与经验等分议题进行了深入探讨交流并取得共识。

与会专家表示,发展中国家仍然面临战乱、疾病、饥饿、生态环境恶化、欠发展等问题。对发展中国家来说,发展是最重要的人权,要尊重各国选择发展道路的权利,不能把人权政治化、武器化。

马达加斯加参议院副议长、前总理库鲁·克里斯托夫·洛朗·罗杰认为,发展权应处于最优先地位。他表示,人权首先是指人的权利,就是人们能够自给自足、自我发展、自由活动,相互爱戴的权利,和谐共存的权利。任何人权都必须通过发展才能获得。

与会者普遍称赞中国提出的构建人类命运共同体的主张为解决当今世界面临的紧迫问题提供了可行的中国方案,是新时代国际公共产品。

联合国人权咨询委员会成员、毛里求斯国家人权委员会主席迪鲁杰拉尔·巴兰拉尔·西图辛格表示,中国与发展中国家的合作是真诚合作的良好典范,不仅有助于改善受援国的道路和铁路等基础设施,还有助于提高当地人民的生活质量。

与会嘉宾对西方在人权问题上奉行双重标准的作法提出强烈批评。他们指出,殖民主义在历史上给很多国家带来了人权灾难,今天西方仍然存在文化上的优越感,不尊重文明多样性,不尊重他国自主选择人权发展道路的权利。

卢森堡CEC咨询公司首席执行官、察哈尔学会高级研究员魏柳南表示,文明之间没有优劣之分,我们要遵守、容忍文化的特殊性,更好地定义和界定人权,让它反映发展中国家的意愿。

中国外交部人权事务特别代表刘华在总结发言中说,对于发展中国家而言,主权安全、发展和人民幸福就是最大的人权,维护以联合国为核心的国际体系,维护以国际法为基础的国际秩序,是真正的国际民主。发展中国家要共同推动人权事业的健康发展,反对干涉、反对霸权、反对单边主义。

"2019 South-South Human Rights Forum" builds consensus on human rights and respects the right of countries to choose a development path
Published: 2019-12-12 08:59:14 | Source: Economic Daily News-China Economic Net | Author: Chou Lina | Editor: Ye

Keywords: human rights development developing countries

From December 10th to 11th, the "2019 South-South Human Rights Forum" was held in Beijing. The Chinese and foreign guests attended the theme of "Diversity of Civilization and the Development of the World Human Rights Cause", focusing on the choice of human rights roads in the context of civilization diversity, building a community of human destiny and global human rights governance. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the practice and experience of human rights protection in southern countries, and other sub-topics were discussed and exchanged in depth and reached consensus.

Participating experts said that developing countries still face problems such as war, disease, hunger, deterioration of the ecological environment, and underdevelopment. For developing countries, development is the most important human right. We must respect the right of each country to choose a development path, and we cannot politicize or weaponize human rights.

The deputy speaker of Madagascar Senate and former Prime Minister Kuru Christoph Laurent Roger believes that the right to development should be given the highest priority. He said that human rights first refers to human rights, that is, people's right to self-sufficiency, self-development, freedom of movement, mutual love, and harmonious coexistence. Any human right must be acquired through development.

Participants generally praised China's proposal to build a community of shared future for mankind, which provides a feasible Chinese solution to the pressing problems facing the world today, and is an international public product in the new era.

Member of the United Nations Human Rights Advisory Committee and Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission of Mauritius, Dirujlar Baranal Situsinger, said that China's cooperation with developing countries is a good example of sincere cooperation and will not only help improve recipient countries. Infrastructure such as roads and railways can also help improve the quality of life for local people.

Participants strongly criticized the Western approach to double standards on human rights issues. They pointed out that colonialism has brought human rights disasters to many countries in history. Today, the West still has a sense of cultural superiority, and it does not respect the diversity of civilizations and the right of other countries to independently choose the path of human rights development.

Wei Liunan, CEO of Luxembourg CEC Consulting and senior researcher of the Chahar Institute, said that there is no distinction between civilizations. We must abide by and tolerate the particularity of culture, better define  human rights, and let it reflect the will of developing countries.

In his concluding statement, Liu Hua, the Special Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, said that for developing countries, sovereign security, development, and people's happiness are the greatest human rights. The United Nations is the core of the international system and the international law is the foundation of international law. Order is truly international democracy. Developing countries must jointly promote the healthy development of the cause of human rights, and oppose interference, hegemony, and unilateralism.


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Full Text of Beijing Declaration adopted by the First South-South Human Rights Forum

Xinhua,December 10, 2017  

Following is the full text of Beijing Declaration, adopted by the First South-South Human Rights Forum, which concluded Friday.
Beijing Declaration
(Adopted by the First South-South Human Rights Forum)
December 8, 2017
From December 7 to December 8 of 2017, the first "South-South Human Rights Forum" was held in Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter. Mr. Huang Kunming, Member of the Political Bureau and the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, Minister of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, attended the opening ceremony of the forum and read President Xi Jinping's congratulatory letter and delivered a speech. Foreign Minister Wang Yi also attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech. The forum is jointly sponsored by the Information Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, and is attended by more than 300 representatives from over 70 countries and international organizations in the world. The representatives actively participated in discussions on the development of human rights in the developing countries and the world.
The participants believed that the congratulatory letter addressed to the forum by President Xi Jinping pursues the value of putting the people first and the development thought centered on the people, insisting on the unity of universality and particularity of human rights, emphasizing cooperation for development, promoting human rights through development, and calling for joint development of a community of shared future for human beings, which would play an important leading role in the development of human rights in the developing countries and the world at large.
The participants stressed that President Xi Jinping's proposal to build a community of shared future for human beings is a major concept which conforms to the trend of the times, fits the requirements of development, and reflects the pursuit of a new human social value. It has pointed out the direction for solving global problems, including human rights governance, and is a major ideological contribution made by China to promote the development and progress of human society.
The participants pointed out that in today's world, the population of developing countries accounts for more than 80 percent of world population, and the development of the global human rights is inseparable from the joint efforts of the vast numbers of developing countries. Over the years, the human rights situations in the developing countries have been continuously improved, which has made a major contribution to the promotion and development of human rights in the world. However, due to the constraints and impacts of various factors, there are still many problems in improving the human rights protection of developing countries. Therefore, it is necessary for developing countries and the international community to keep on making their unremitting efforts.
It is noted that China develops human rights based on national conditions, with the right to subsistence and the right to development as the primary basic human rights. China adheres to a comprehensive and evolving view of human rights, making not only great achievements in the development of its own human rights cause but also significant contributions to the development of human rights in the world, offering China's experience.
Around the topic "Building A Community of Shared Future for Human Beings: New Opportunities for South-South Human Rights Development," participants had in-depth reflection and discussions and they jointly declared the following articles:
Article 1
In order to ensure universal acceptance and observance of human rights, the realization of human rights must take into account regional and national contexts, and political, economic, social, cultural, historical and religious backgrounds. The cause of human rights must and can only be advanced in accordance with the national conditions and the needs of the peoples. Each State should adhere to the principle of combining the universality and specificity of human rights and choose a human rights development path or guarantee model that suits its specific conditions. States and the international community have a responsibility to create the necessary conditions for the realization of human rights, including the maintenance of peace, security and stability, the promotion of economic and social development and the removal of obstacles to the realization of human rights.
Article 2
Human rights are an integral part of all civilizations, and all civilizations should be recognized as equal and should be respected. Values and ethics of different cultural backgrounds should be cherished and respected, and mutual tolerance, exchange and reference should be honored. All governments and peoples should work together to build a community of shared future for human beings based on the principles of mutual benefit and sharing, build a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness, tolerance and cleanness, so that humanity is free from fear, from poverty, from disease, from discrimination and from isolation. The community of shared future for human beings represents the yearning of peoples of the world for peace, development and prosperity. 
Article 3
The right to subsistence and the right to development are the primary basic human rights. The main body of the right to development is the people. In order to maximize the overall interests of mankind, it is necessary to uphold the unity of the right to development at individual level and the right to development at collective level, so that all peoples have equal opportunities for development and fully realize the right to development. Developing countries should pay special attention to safeguarding the people's right to subsistence and right to development, especially to achieve a decent standard of living, adequate food, clothing, and clean drinking water, the right to housing, the right to security, work, education, and the right to health and social security. The international community should take the eradication of poverty and hunger as the primary task, and strive to solve the problem of insufficient and unsustainable development and create more favorable conditions for the realization of the people's right to development especially in the developing countries.
Article 4
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. Human dignity is not only related to human freedom, but also decisive to the all-round development of human beings. Human rights are the unity of individual rights and collective rights. The right to subsistence and the right to development, the right to peace, and the right to the environment are both important collective human rights and the prerequisite and basis for the realization of individual human rights. All human rights are indivisible and interdependent. The acquisition of civil and political rights is inseparable from the simultaneous acquisition of economic, social and cultural rights, which are equally important and interrelated.
Article 5
Human rights are inalienable, and all countries should make efforts to promote the legal guarantee of human rights. Restrictions on the exercise of human rights must be determined by law, and only for the protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of other members of society (including freedom from religious desecration, racism and discrimination) and meet the legitimate needs of national security, public order, public health, public safety, public morals and the general welfare of the people. Everyone is responsible to all others and to society, and the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms must be balanced with the fulfillment of corresponding responsibilities.
Article 6
States should, in accordance with their national laws and international obligations, focus on guaranteeing the human rights and fundamental freedoms of specific groups, including ethnic, national, racial, religious and linguistic groups and migrant workers, people with disabilities, indigenous people, refugees and displaced persons. States have an obligation to respect and protect religious minorities, and religious minorities have the same obligation to adapt to their local environment, and this includes the acceptance and observance of the Constitution and laws of their localities, as well as their integration into the local society. Everyone has the right to choose his or her own beliefs, including the choice of believing or not believing a religion, and the choice of believing one religion or another, without being discriminated.
Article 7
South-South cooperation is an important way to promote development and human rights progress in developing countries. The South-South countries should adhere to the spirit of solidarity, sharing of responsibilities and obligations, mutual help and win-win cooperation, and insist on promoting cooperation with unity, advancing development through cooperation, and promoting human rights through development, making efforts to achieve more adequate human rights protection. The international community should, in line with the principles of balance, inclusiveness and sustainability, actively support better development of developing countries and constantly improve the protection of human rights in those countries.
Article 8
The international community's concern for human rights matters should always follow the international law and the universally recognized basic norms governing international relations, of which the key is to respect national sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference in the internal affairs of states. All countries should adhere to the principle of sovereign equality, and all countries, big or small, have the right to determine their political systems, control and freely use their own resources, and independently pursue their own economic, social and cultural development. The politicization, selectivity and double standards on the issue of human rights and the abuse of military, economic or other means to interfere in other countries' affairs run counter to the purpose and spirit of human rights. The relevant actions of the international community to protect human rights must be in strict compliance with the relevant provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and should respect the views of the concerned states and regional organizations.
Article 9
The realization of human rights is never-ending and the development of human rights is always ongoing. In terms of human rights protection, there is no best way, only the better one. The satisfaction of the people is the ultimate criterion to test the rationality of human rights and the way to guarantee them. It is the responsibility of governments to continuously raise the level of human rights protection in accordance with the demands of their peoples. The international community should promote human rights cooperation through dialogue and exchange, mutual learning and mutual understanding and consensus-building on the basis of equality and mutual respect.
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 2019·南南人权论坛”在北京举行 黄坤明出席并发表主旨演讲发布时间:2019-12-11 19:16:16 | 来源:新华社 | 作者: | 责任编辑:叶开

关键词:黄坤明 南南人权论坛

“2019·南南人权论坛”11日在北京举行。中共中央政治局委员、中宣部部长黄坤明出席论坛并发表题为“坚持文明多样性 推进世界人权事业发展”的主旨演讲。

黄坤明指出,尊重和保障人权,是人类文明进步的重要成果,是中国党和政府的一贯追求。新中国的70年,是中华民族迎来从站起来、富起来到强起来的70年,是中国人民各项基本权利持续得到尊重和保障的70年,也是中国为世界人权事业发展不断作出贡献的70年。在这一伟大历程中,中国成功走出了一条符合国情的人权发展道路,积累了十分宝贵的经验。中国共产党始终把为人民谋幸福作为不变的初心,中国特色社会主义制度始终以维护全体人民利益为根本。中国坚持人权的普遍性与特殊性相结合,坚持以合作促发展、以发展促人权,不断增进全体人民的幸福感、获得感、安全感。

黄坤明指出,新形势下,广大发展中国家应携手合作,共同维护和平稳定的人权发展环境,创造丰富多样的人权发展模式,谋求平衡充分的人权发展愿景,完善公正合理的全球人权治理,为推动世界人权事业进步、构建人类命运共同体作出贡献。

论坛由国务院新闻办和外交部主办,来自80多个国家及联合国等国际组织的高级官员、专家学者、驻华使节等300余人出席。

2019 South-South Human Rights Forum "held in Beijing Huang Kunming attended and delivered a keynote speech
Published: 2019-12-11 19:16:16 | Source: Xinhua News Agency | Author: | Editor: Ye

Keywords: Huang Kunming, South-South Human Rights Forum

The "2019 South-South Human Rights Forum" was held in Beijing on the 11th. Huang Kunming, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of the Propaganda Department of the CPC Central Committee, attended the forum and delivered a keynote speech entitled "Insist on Civilized Diversity and Promote the Development of the World's Human Rights Cause".

Huang Kunming pointed out that respecting and protecting human rights is an important achievement of human civilization and progress, and is the consistent pursuit of the Chinese party and government. The 70 years of New China are the 70 years that the Chinese nation has ushered in from standing up, becoming rich, and becoming stronger. It is also the 70 years when the fundamental rights of the Chinese people have been continuously respected and guaranteed. It is also China ’s continuous contribution to the development of the world ’s human rights cause. 70 years. In this great course, China has successfully embarked on a path of human rights development in line with national conditions and has accumulated very valuable experience. The Communist Party of China has always taken the pursuit of happiness for the people as its original intention, and the socialist system with Chinese characteristics has always been based on safeguarding the interests of all people. China adheres to the combination of universality and particularity of human rights, adheres to cooperation for development, and development for human rights, and continuously promotes the happiness, gain, and security of all people.

Huang Kunming pointed out that under the new situation, developing countries should work together to maintain a peaceful and stable human rights development environment, create a rich and diverse human rights development model, seek a balanced and adequate vision of human rights development, and improve a fair and reasonable global human rights governance. The progress of the world's human rights cause and the contribution of building a community of shared future for humanity.

The forum was hosted by the Information Office of the State Council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. More than 300 people including senior officials, experts and scholars, diplomatic envoys from more than 80 countries and the United Nations and other international organizations attended the forum.


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外交部副部长马朝旭在“2019·南南人权论坛”主旨演讲活动上的致辞

发布时间:2019-12-13 19:14:56 | 来源:中国网·南南人权论坛官网 | 作者: | 责任编辑:王振红


      中国外交部副部长马朝旭在“2019·南南人权论坛”主旨演讲活动上发表题为“完善全球人权治理,构建人类命运共同体”的致辞。(杨佳/摄)

2019年12月10日-11日,由中国国务院新闻办公室和外交部共同主办的“2019·南南人权论坛”在北京举行。论坛主题为“文明多样性与世界人权事业的发展”,来自80余个国家、地区及国际组织的300多人出席。11日,中共中央政治局委员、中宣部部长黄坤明作主旨演讲。中国外交部副部长马朝旭在论坛上致辞。以下是致辞全文:

尊敬的黄坤明部长,
尊敬的罗杰副议长,
女士们、先生们、朋友们:
很高兴出席“南南人权论坛”。我谨代表中国外交部,对各位嘉宾的到来表示热烈欢迎!对本届论坛的成功举办表示热烈祝贺!
刚才,黄坤明部长发表了精彩的主旨演讲,全面回顾了新中国成立70年来人权事业发展成就和经验,深刻阐述了中国关于人权问题的看法主张。我愿围绕“文明多样性与世界人权事业的发展”主题,同大家分享和交流看法。
纵观历史,文明交流有力促进了人类社会的发展和进步,文明冲突则给人类带来灾难和浩劫。人类文明演进的正反两方面教训给人们以深刻启迪,也为新形势下如何推进国际人权事业提供重要借鉴。
人类文明是丰富多彩的,各国人权发展道路也是多种多样的。在人权问题上,没有放之四海而皆准的统一模式。各国人民都有自主选择人权发展道路的权利。衡量人权道路如何,要看它顺不顺民心,合不合民意,能不能给人民带来福祉。人权道路没有优劣之分,只有特色之别。各国应该相互尊重,在交流中相互理解,在互鉴中共同进步。不顾一国国情和本国人民的选择,将自身模式强加于人,是不民主的,也是不文明的。
我们看到,个别国家既不承认文明多样性,也不尊重各国人民选择自身发展道路的权利。它们打着人权和人道的旗号,四处策动颜色革命,强推政权更迭,造成冲突动荡,引发一个又一个人道危机。这是当今世界乱局的重要根源。我们应该维护联合国宪章宗旨和原则,切实尊重各国主权和领土完整,反对将人权政治化,反对强加于人,反对搞双重标准。
多边主义是推动文明交流互鉴的重要保障,也是促进世界人权事业发展的重要基础。当前,单边主义横行,霸凌主义肆虐,多边主义面临严峻挑战,国际体系和国际秩序受到严重冲击。我们看到个别国家一方面退出人权理事会,另一方面利用联合国机构肆意攻击别国政治制度和治理模式,充分暴露了其虚伪性。我们要高举多边主义旗帜,捍卫国际法和国际关系准则,公正、客观、非选择性地处理人权问题,通过平等的对话来化解人权分歧。
发展是解决人权问题的总钥匙,人权要靠发展来实现、保障和促进。发展中成员占联合国会员国五分之四、人口占全球80%。广大发展中国家的利益理应得到重视,发展中国家关心的经济社会和文化权利理应得到切实维护。多边人权机制应该增加在发展、卫生、体育、妇女、儿童、残疾人等领域的投入,纠正不合理、不公正的人权治理格局,实现两类人权平衡发展。
当前世界经济增长乏力,不平衡不充分的矛盾十分突出,人民的生存权和发展权受到严重威胁。我们要推动构建开放型世界经济,推动经济全球化朝着更加开放、包容、普惠、平衡、共赢的方向发展。要把发展问题置于全球政策框架的优先位置,以联合国《发展权利宣言》为指引,坚持以发展为基础,落实好联合国2030年可持续发展议程。
个别国家出于一己私利,大搞贸易战,不断出台所谓人权与民主法案,公然干预他国内部事务,动辄挥舞制裁大棒,搞经济封锁、科技脱钩、金融制裁。这些行径不仅阻碍世界经济发展,而且侵犯受害国人民的人权,必须予以坚决反对和抵制。
女士们、先生们,
尊重和保护人权是联合国三大支柱之一,也是构建人类命运共同体的重要组成部分。习近平主席指出,迈向人类命运共同体,必须坚持不同文明兼容并蓄,交流互鉴。我们应该推动不同文明相互尊重,和谐共处,让不同文明交流互鉴成为增进各国人民友谊的桥梁,推动人类进步的动力,维护世界和平的纽带。中方愿与各方一道,在平等和相互尊重的基础上,进一步加强对话与交流,共同推动世界人权事业健康发展,共同构建人类命运共同体。
谢谢大家!



Speech by Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu at the Keynote Speech of "2019 South-South Human Rights Forum"
Published: 2019-12-13 19:14:56 | Source: China Net · South-South Forum on Human Rights official website | Author: | Editor: Wang Hong

Keywords: human rights development civilization world Ma Zhaoxu

Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu Addresses "2019 South-South Human Rights Forum"

      Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu delivered a speech entitled "Improving Global Human Rights Governance and Building a Community of Human Destiny" at the keynote speech of the "2019 South-South Human Rights Forum". (Yang Jia / Photo)


On December 10-11, 2019, the "2019 South-South Human Rights Forum" co-sponsored by the Information Office of the State Council of China and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was held in Beijing. The theme of the forum was "Diversity of Civilizations and the Development of Human Rights in the World." More than 300 people from more than 80 countries, regions and international organizations attended. On the 11th, Huang Kunming, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and minister of the Central Propaganda Department, delivered a keynote speech. Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Chaoxu addressed the forum. The following is the full text of the speech:

Improve global human rights governance and build a community with a shared future for mankind-Speech by Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu at the keynote speech of "2019 South-South Human Rights Forum"

Dear Minister Huang Kunming,

Dear Deputy Speaker Roger,

Ladies, gentlemen, friends:

It is a pleasure to attend the South-South Human Rights Forum. On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, I would like to extend a warm welcome to the guests! Warm congratulations on the success of this forum!

Just now, Minister Huang Kunming delivered a wonderful keynote speech, comprehensively reviewed the achievements and experiences of the development of human rights in the 70 years since the founding of New China, and elaborated China's views and opinions on human rights issues. I would like to share and exchange views with you on the theme of "Diversity of Civilizations and the Development of the World's Cause of Human Rights."

Throughout history, the exchange of civilizations has effectively promoted the development and progress of human society, and the conflict of civilizations has brought disasters and catastrophes to humankind. The positive and negative lessons of the evolution of human civilization have given people a profound enlightenment and also provided important lessons for how to advance the international human rights cause in the new situation.

Human civilization is rich and colorful, and the path of human rights development in various countries is also diverse. There is no one-size-fits-all model for human rights. People of all countries have the right to choose the path of human rights development. How to judge the human rights path depends on whether it conforms to the people's hearts and minds, whether it is in line with public opinion, or whether it can bring benefits to the people. There is no distinction between good and bad human rights roads, only differences. Countries should respect each other, understand each other in exchanges, and make common progress in mutual learning. It is undemocratic and uncivilized to impose its own model on people regardless of the national conditions and the choices of their own people.

We have seen that individual countries neither recognize the diversity of civilizations nor respect the right of peoples to choose their own development path. Under the banner of human rights and humanity, they are mobilizing color revolutions everywhere, pushing for regime change, causing conflict and turmoil, and triggering one humanitarian crisis after another. This is an important source of the chaos in the world today. We should uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, earnestly respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, oppose the politicization of human rights, oppose imposition on others, and oppose double standards.

Multilateralism is an important guarantee for promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and is also an important basis for promoting the development of the world's human rights cause. At present, unilateralism is rampant, bullying is rampant, multilateralism is facing severe challenges, and the international system and international order have been severely impacted. We have seen that individual countries withdrew from the Human Rights Council, and on the other hand, used UN agencies to attack other countries' political systems and governance models, fully exposing their hypocrisy. We must hold high the banner of multilateralism, defend international law and norms of international relations, deal with human rights issues impartially, objectively, and non-selectively, and resolve human rights differences through equal dialogue.

Development is the master key to solving human rights issues. Human rights must be realized, guaranteed and promoted by development. Developing members make up four-fifths of the United Nations membership and 80% of the world's population. The interests of developing countries should be taken seriously, and the economic, social and cultural rights that developing countries care about should be effectively safeguarded. Multilateral human rights mechanisms should increase investment in areas such as development, health, sports, women, children, and the disabled, correct unreasonable and unjust human rights governance patterns, and achieve balanced development of two types of human rights.

The current world economic growth is sluggish, and the imbalance and inadequacy are very prominent. The people's right to subsistence and development are seriously threatened. We need to promote the construction of an open world economy, and promote economic globalization toward a more open, inclusive, inclusive, balanced, and win-win direction. Development issues must be given priority in the global policy framework, guided by the United Nations Declaration on the Right to Development, adhere to development as the basis, and implement the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Individual countries have been engaged in trade wars out of their own self-interest, constantly promulgating so-called human rights and democracy bills, blatantly intervening in the internal affairs of other countries, wielding big sticks of sanctions, engaging in economic blockades, decoupling technology, and financial sanctions. These acts not only hinder the development of the world economy, but also violate the human rights of the people of the victimized countries. They must be firmly opposed and resisted.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Respecting and protecting human rights is one of the three pillars of the United Nations and an important part of building a community with a shared future for mankind. President Xi Jinping pointed out that to move towards a community with a shared future for mankind, we must adhere to the inclusiveness of different civilizations and exchange and learn from each other. We should promote mutual respect and harmonious coexistence among different civilizations, and make exchanges and mutual learning between different civilizations a bridge for enhancing the friendship between peoples of all countries, a driving force for human progress, and a link to maintain world peace. China is willing to work with all parties to further strengthen dialogue and exchanges on the basis of equality and mutual respect, work together to promote the healthy development of the world's human rights cause, and jointly build a community of shared future for mankind.

thank you all!
















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