Sunday, October 01, 2023

求是网: 弘扬和践行当代中国人权观 [Jiang Jianguo: Promote and practice contemporary China's view of human rights] 求是网 [Qiushi] Issue 19, 2023


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The General Secretary pointed out that cadres at all levels, especially leading cadres, must consciously study the Marxist view of human rights and contemporary China's view of human rights, raise awareness, enhance self-confidence, and proactively do a good job in respecting and protecting human rights. We must have a deep understanding of the rich connotations, practical achievements, global contributions and development momentum of contemporary China's view of human rights, and better promote the comprehensive development of the human rights cause. [总书记指出,各级干部特别是领导干部要自觉学习马克思主义人权观、当代中国人权观,提高认识,增强自信,主动做好尊重和保障人权各项工作。我们要深刻认识当代中国人权观的丰富内涵、实践成就、全球贡献和发展动力,更好推动人权事业全面发展。] (Jiang Jianguo: Promote and practice contemporary China's view of human rights; 求是网: 弘扬和践行当代中国人权观 )

Though people in liberal democracies rarely pay much mind, especially those closeted in the hothouse world of liberal democratic high level human rights organs, the narratives of Socialist Human Rights (with Chinese characteristics) continue to be developed, and as developed, embedded in the calculus of Chinese overseas engagement in the economic, political. cultural, and social fields. 

That narrative, in its semi-official versions, continues to evolve aligned with parallel refinements of Chinese Marxist Leninist New Era theory. A recent essay appearing in 求是网 [Qiushi] Issue 19, 2023, the leading official theoretical journal and news magazine of the Chinese Communist Party. Authored by   Jiang Jianguo (求是网), Executive Vice President of China Human Rights Research Association, and entitled "Promote and practice contemporary China's view of human rights" (弘扬和践行当代中国人权观), the essay seeks to reframe in a more refined way the principal "talking points" that constitute a Marxist-Leninist human rights ( with national characteristics) with global ambitions.

It is divided into four parts. That division is telling as the framing organization of a Leninist world view of human rights. It starts with an exposition of the core normative principles (§ 1); then ties those to national achievements (§ 2); and then ties both to the influence of the Chinese view on shaping the global discourse (§ 3); and ends with the globalizing nature of the socialist approach to human rights (§ 4). 

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What are the core normative principles? First is the need for guidance by the vanguard forces of society, however constituted.  In China, of course, that means the Communist Party; elsewhere a recognized vanguard will suffice (for example like the diffuse vanguards in the U.S.). Second, the core human right is to strive to ensure "people's happy life" implemented] "by continuously improving the level of respecting and protecting the people's basic rights, and effectively enhancing the people's sense of prosperity, happiness, and security." Third, the right to survival and development are the primary basic human rights. Fourth, the central element of human rights is development." Fifth, promoting human rights through development is the key path to fully realizing human rights. Sixth, people's happiness, survival, and development is not possible  in the absence of a safe and stable environment. Seventh, rights equality is a necessary condition for happiness, survival, development, and a safe environment. Eighth, rule of law (with national characteristics) is the effective means of realizing human rights. 

There is no point to a theory of socialist human rights unless one can point to success, or at least a determined striving in that direction.  That is the essence of the second stage discourse of socialist human rights.  Here, Chinese discourse has developed a quite consistent set of tropes.  First that theory and practice are self-referencing modalities in  operationalizing human rights. Second, an assessment of human rights effectiveness  based on improvement measures, including with respect to the issuance of laws. Third, an effective democratic structure is essential for the realization of rights as an institutional matter. It is here where China constructs a deep alignment between Socialist Human Rights and Socialist democracy. Lastly, all of these efforts are directed with sensitivity to identified vulnerable groups. 

This alignment between theory and practice is then packaged (like its liberal democratic analogue) as a globally useful model. That, in turn, justifies Chinese assertiveness in promoting a socialist approach to human rights in the world community. "China regards making new and greater contributions to mankind as its mission and firmly believes that only when people of all countries live a good life can prosperity be lasting, security guaranteed, and human rights have a foundation." But That contribution, in turn is global.  The discourse of the ricochet is used to good effect here.  It mirrors socialist dialectics where national characteristics  engage with global discourse to produce a synthesis that can be re-contributed to the global, but now with different characteristics.

There is little new here (eg here, here), though for liberal democratic stakeholders all of this is always and constantly "new" because it fails to "compute" within an orthodoxy in which the core approach is incomprehensible, and therefore worthy of being ignored. In a sense, this is no longer directed to liberal democratic vanguards, bu rather to the leadership of developing and post-colonial states and their influencer classes.

The full essay follows below in the original Chinese and a crude English translation.


 

 

弘扬和践行当代中国人权观 - 求是网

求是网

弘扬和践行当代中国人权观

蒋建国

  党的十八大以来,习近平总书记把推动人权事业发展作为治国理政的一项重要工作,围绕尊重和保障人权发表一系列重要讲话,作出一系列重要论述,深刻回答了什么是人权和如何推动中国人权事业发展、如何推动全球人权治理等重大课题,在理论上形成了源于“两个结合”、体现全人类共同价值的当代中国人权观,在实践中带领全党全国各族人民走出了一条顺应时代潮流、适合本国国情的中国人权发展道路。总书记指出,各级干部特别是领导干部要自觉学习马克思主义人权观、当代中国人权观,提高认识,增强自信,主动做好尊重和保障人权各项工作。我们要深刻认识当代中国人权观的丰富内涵、实践成就、全球贡献和发展动力,更好推动人权事业全面发展。

  一、当代中国人权观的丰富内涵

  当代中国人权观是以习近平同志为核心的党中央对我们党长期以来发展人权事业经验的深刻总结,是对世界人权发展演变的深邃洞察,是对当代中国人权鲜活实践的科学概括,也是对当代中国人权基本主张和重要观点的精粹提炼,集中体现了新时代中国共产党人对人权事业发展的全新认识和整体把握,是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的重要组成部分,为促进新时代中国人权事业发展提供了根本遵循,为推动全球人权治理贡献了中国智慧。

  中国共产党领导是中国人权事业发展的根本保证。尊重和保障人权是中国共产党人的不懈追求。习近平总书记指出,中国共产党领导和我国社会主义制度,决定了我国人权事业的社会主义性质,决定了我们能够保证人民当家作主,坚持平等共享人权,坚持以系统性思维谋划人权建设,推进各类人权全面发展,不断实现好、维护好、发展好最广大人民根本利益。只有在中国共产党领导下,中国人民才能不断创造更加幸福美好的生活,逐步享有更加广泛、更加充分、更加全面的人权。

  人民幸福生活是最大的人权。人民是中国共产党执政兴国的最大底气,也是发展人权事业的最大动力。习近平总书记强调,要把人民利益作为出发点和落脚点,不断解决好人民最关心最直接最现实的利益问题,努力让人民过上幸福生活,这才是最大的人权。中国共产党坚持人民至上,坚持尊重人民主体地位,始终把人民对美好生活的向往作为奋斗目标,把反映人民愿望、体现人民利益、维护人民权利、增进人民福祉贯彻在人权事业发展的全过程各方面,不断提高尊重和保障人民各项基本权利的水平,切实增强人民的获得感、幸福感、安全感。


  我国不断完善对妇女权益的平等保障和特殊保护,发挥妇女在各个方面的积极作用。图为中国一重集团、哈电集团、中车齐车集团、大庆油田等企业单位一线工作的女职工群像(2023年3月6日至7日,王建威、张涛、谢剑飞、石枫、李玉龙、张雲淞摄)。 新华社发

  生存权、发展权是首要的基本人权。把生存权、发展权作为首要的基本人权,是我们党根据人民需要和自身国情作出的必然选择。习近平总书记强调,生存是享有一切人权的基础。中国人民深知免于贫困、免于饥饿为生存之本。生存权利的有效保障,是享有和发展其他人权的前提和基础。发展权与生存权是紧密相连的。我们既充分保障人民的基本生存权,又切实保障人民享有平等参与、平等发展权利。

  以发展促进人权是充分实现人权的关键路径。发展是实现人民幸福的关键。习近平总书记强调,在发展中保障和改善民生,保护和促进人权。党的十八大以来,以习近平同志为核心的党中央准确把握新发展阶段,完整、准确、全面贯彻新发展理念,加快构建新发展格局,推动高质量发展,将发展作为推动人权事业进步的发力点和解决所有问题的总钥匙,着力解决发展不平衡不充分问题,让发展成果更多更公平惠及全体人民,在推进中国式现代化进程中不断提升人权保障水平。

  安全稳定的环境是推动人权事业发展的重要条件。安全是人的基础需求,平安是人民幸福安康的基本要求。习近平总书记强调,国家安全是民族复兴的根基,社会稳定是国家强盛的前提。社会稳定、国泰民安既是广大人民群众的热切期盼,也是我们党治国理政的重要目标。新中国成立70多年来,我们党领导人民创造了世所罕见的经济快速发展奇迹和社会长期稳定奇迹。新时代以来,中国民众的安全感始终保持高位,国际社会普遍认为中国是世界上最安全的国家之一。

  坚持平等共享人权是发展人权事业的制度取向。习近平总书记强调,人权不是一部分人或少数人享有的特权,而是广大人民群众享有的普惠性人权。在推进当代中国人权事业发展的进程中,我们逐步建立以权利公平、机会公平和规则公平为主要内容的社会公平保障体系,不断完善对少数民族、妇女、儿童、老年人、残疾人等特定群体权益的平等保障和特殊保护,努力促进人民权利保障更加充分、人人得享共同发展。

  法治是人权最有效的保障。全面依法治国关系人民幸福安康。习近平总书记强调,推进全面依法治国,根本目的是依法保障人民权益。我们充分发挥法治固根本、稳预期、利长远的保障作用,不断深化法治领域改革,健全人权法治保障机制,切实保证人民依法享有广泛权利和自由,不断提升人权法治化保障水平,努力让人民群众在每一项法律制度、每一个执法决定、每一宗司法案件中都感受到公平正义。

  实现人的自由全面发展是人权保障的最高价值追求。《共产党宣言》写道,“代替那存在着阶级和阶级对立的资产阶级旧社会的,将是这样一个联合体,在那里,每个人的自由发展是一切人的自由发展的条件”。习近平总书记强调,现代化的最终目标是实现人自由而全面的发展。我们统筹推进经济发展、民主法治、思想文化、公平正义、社会治理、环境保护等建设,在物质文明、政治文明、精神文明、社会文明、生态文明协调发展中全方位提升各项人权保障水平,为人的自由全面发展创造条件。

  构建人类命运共同体是推动全球人权治理的使命担当。发展人权是全人类共同的事业。习近平总书记强调,中国愿同国际社会一道,推动全球人权治理朝着更加公平公正合理包容的方向发展,推动构建人类命运共同体,共建更加美好的世界。中国弘扬全人类共同价值,主张不同文明、不同国家之间相互尊重、相互包容、相互交流、相互借鉴,践行全球安全倡议、全球发展倡议、全球文明倡议,共同推进人权发展。国际人权事务应由各国共同商量,全球人权治理体系要由各国共同建设,人权发展成果要由各国人民共同分享。

  二、当代中国人权观的实践成就

  当代中国人权观源自实践,又指导实践,指引我们走出了一条适合本国国情的人权发展道路。习近平总书记深刻总结中国人权发展道路的主要特征和宝贵经验,即坚持中国共产党领导,坚持尊重人民主体地位,坚持从我国实际出发,坚持以生存权、发展权为首要的基本人权,坚持依法保障人权,坚持积极参与全球人权治理。以当代中国人权观为指引,坚定不移走中国人权发展道路,我国人权事业取得了历史性成就。

  生存权发展权保障水平得到有效提升。我们如期打赢人类历史上规模空前、力度最大、惠及人口最多的脱贫攻坚战,历史性地解决了困扰中华民族几千年的绝对贫困问题,全面建成小康社会。2012—2022年,全国居民人均可支配收入从16510元增至36883元。全面做好就业、收入分配、教育、社保、医疗、住房、养老、扶幼等方面工作,建成世界上规模最大的教育体系、社会保障体系、医疗卫生体系,有力应对新冠疫情,最大限度保护了人民生命安全和身体健康,为人民过上美好生活奠定了坚实基础。

  全过程人民民主保障民主权利得到不断发展。我们大力健全人民当家作主制度体系,构建多样、畅通、有序的民主渠道,积极发展全过程人民民主,充分保障人民的选举权和被选举权、知情权和参与权、表达权和监督权等各项权利,人民享有更加广泛、更加充分、更加全面的民主权利。改革开放以来,我国乡级、县级人大代表直接选举中选民参选率均保持在90%左右。2022年,10亿多选民直接选举产生了260多万名县、乡两级人大代表,有效保障了人民当家作主。各级人大代表来自各民族、各行业、各阶层、各党派,具有广泛的代表性。人民政协充分尊重和保障各民主党派在政协发表意见、提出建议的权利,在协商中促进广泛团结、推进多党合作、实践人民民主。

  图为2023年6月5日,在西藏日喀则定日县扎西宗乡完全小学,四年级三班的旦增吉宗(前排左)正在和小伙伴上钢琴课。钢琴课是该校16个兴趣班之一。为了满足学生们的各种需求,学校设置了信息技术、美术、广播、体育、舞蹈、手工等兴趣班,促进学生全面发展。 新华社记者 费茂华/摄

  良法善治保障人权得到全面推进。我们把尊重和保障人权贯穿立法、执法、司法、守法各个环节,不断推进科学立法、严格执法、公正司法、全民守法,在全面推进依法治国中全面保障人权。截至2023年9月1日,我国现行有效法律298件,行政法规601件,中国特色社会主义法律体系日趋科学完善,人权法治化保障的基础日益夯实。法治政府建设取得重大进展,行政执法体制机制改革大力推进,严格规范公正文明执法水平普遍提高。司法体制改革成果丰硕:改革权力配置和运行机制,司法公信力显著提升;开展扫黑除恶专项斗争,切实保护人民群众生命财产安全;健全诉讼制度机制,在更高水平上实现公正与效率相统一;完善便民、利民改革举措,切实维护人民群众合法权益。推进全民守法,普及人权法治观念,全社会的人权法治意识进一步提高。

  特定群体权益得到切实维护。我们加强对少数民族、妇女、儿童、老年人和残疾人权益的保护。坚持各民族一律平等,推动少数民族事业全面发展。建立了包括100多部法律法规在内的全面保障妇女儿童权益的法律体系。实施积极应对人口老龄化国家战略,将积极老龄观、健康老龄化理念融入经济社会发展全过程,促进老年人养老服务、健康支撑、社会参与、权益保障等统筹发展。党的十八大以来,8500多万残疾人在康复、教育、就业及精神文化方面得到全面支持;“十三五”时期,710多万建档立卡贫困残疾人实现脱贫。

  实践证明,当代中国人权观是科学的理论,具有强大的真理力量和实践伟力;中国人权发展道路是尊重和保障人权的康庄大道,是符合时代潮流、具有中国特色、契合人民需求的人权发展道路。

  三、当代中国人权观的全球贡献

  中国素有天下情怀,愿以天下之利为利。当代中国人权观不仅为推动中国人权事业发展提供了科学指导和行动指南,也为推动全球人权治理提供了中国智慧、中国方案和中国力量。

  一系列中国主张为全球人权治理提供中国智慧。中国主张以安全守护人权,尊重各国主权和领土完整,同走和平发展道路,践行全球安全倡议,为实现人权创造安宁的环境。安全是充分保护和促进人权的重要前提,中国以实际行动坚持共同、综合、合作、可持续的新安全观,推动和平解决争端、维护世界和平和地区安全稳定。中国多次在联合国人权理事会围绕“维护和平,促进和保护人权”等主题代表发展中国家作共同发言,相关主张得到广大发展中国家高度赞同。中国主张以发展促进人权,践行全球发展倡议,提高发展的包容性、普惠性和可持续性,以各具特色的现代化之路保障各国人民公平享有人权。在发展中保障和促进人权的中国经验已逐渐成为世界共识。联合国人权理事会先后3次通过中国提交的“发展对享有所有人权的贡献”决议。全球发展倡议已得到100多个国家和国际组织支持,近70个国家参与在联合国平台成立的“全球发展倡议之友小组”。中国主张以合作推进人权,相互尊重,平等相待,践行全球文明倡议,加强文明交流互鉴,通过对话凝聚共识,共同推动人权文明发展进步。中国秉持开放包容,积极开展对话、磋商和交流研讨,与各国分享人权保障经验,以对话弥合分歧,以合作增进互信。中国创办的“全球人权治理高端论坛”、“南南人权论坛”、“北京人权论坛”等,不断为全球人权治理生产灵感、贡献智慧。

  一系列中国原则为全球人权治理提供中国方案。中国倡导全球人权治理应该坚持共商共建共享原则,把本国人民利益同世界各国人民利益统一起来,朝着构建人类命运共同体的方向前行。构建人类命运共同体理念被10余次纳入联合国人权理事会决议,成为国际人权话语体系的重要组成部分,为完善全球人权治理提供了解决方案。中国坚持多边主义是促进全球人权治理的重要基础,反对以人权为借口侵犯主权,“互不干涉内政原则”得到国际社会普遍认同和广大发展中国家支持。中国积极参与制定、完善全球人权治理规则,参加《儿童权利公约》等多个核心人权公约制定工作组会议,作为主要推动者参与起草《发展权利宣言》,作为第二届世界人权大会副主席国参与起草《维也纳宣言和行动纲领》,参与劳工保护、人道主义、社会责任等领域国际规则制定。中国积极推动联合国人权机制改革,主张多边人权机构应秉持普遍、公正、客观、非选择性、非政治化原则,恪守自身授权,尊重会员国主权,推动各方开展建设性对话与合作。

  一系列中国贡献为全球人权治理提供中国力量。中国把为人类作出新的更大贡献作为自己的使命,坚信只有各国人民都过上好日子,繁荣才能持久,安全才有保障,人权才有基础。新时代以来,中国的对外援助向国际发展合作转型升级,为发展中国家的人权事业发展提供亲诚而有效的助力。中国通过援建成套项目、提供物资、开展技术合作和人力资源开发合作、派遣志愿者以及减免有关国家债务等形式,支持和帮助发展中国家促进经济社会发展。通过设立全球发展和南南合作基金、中方对拉一揽子融资举措、中国—东盟基础设施专项贷款等专项基金和专项贷款,为亚非拉地区发展中国家提供资金援助和金融支持。中国开展的发展合作,既包含诸如“一带一路”标志性工程中老铁路这样的重大基础设施建设,又包含诸如菌草技术这类推广至百余国、助推当地发展的“小而美”的民生项目,对于帮助发展中国家增强发展能力、改善民生、保障人权起到了重要作用。

  在当代中国人权观的指引下,中国参与全球人权治理,一贯坚持平等互信、包容互鉴、合作共赢、共同发展的理念,严格尊重别国主权,绝不干涉别国内政,不附带任何条件,不要求任何特权,坚决维护《联合国宪章》的普遍性和有效性。与此相反,有的国家自身人权问题成堆,却大行双重标准,打着“人权”旗号肆意干涉他国内政,制造分裂、动乱、战乱,严重影响和侵害了世界人权事业的健康发展。中国坚决反对以人权之名行霸权霸道霸凌之实,尊重各国人权发展道路,积极开展人权对话和合作,推动全球人权治理体系改革和建设,同各国人民一道共建世界美好未来。

  四、当代中国人权观的发展动力

  当代中国人权观立足中国、借鉴国外,挖掘历史、把握当代,关怀人类、面向未来,是一个开放的、发展的理论体系。有“两个结合”的思想理论体系开凿的源头活水,有中国式现代化伟大征程创造的丰沃土壤,有丰富人权文明的理想抱负提供的澎湃动能,当代中国人权观必将进一步发展完善。

  以“两个结合”为不竭之源。当代中国人权观,是马克思主义人权观同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合的理论硕果,是中国共产党带领人民在人权事业探索中创造的实践硕果,也是兼收并蓄人类先进人权思想的文明硕果。马克思主义人权观对“人的解放”的关切和对“人的自由全面发展”的理论构建,为当代中国人权观奠定了基石。中华优秀传统文化蕴含的宇宙观、天下观、社会观、道德观,为当代中国人权观铺就了历史和文明底色。中国共产党自诞生之日起就将民族解放、国家独立与人民切身利益紧密地联系在一起。新中国成立以来特别是党的十八大以来,中国人权事业全面发展,为当代中国人权观烙下了鲜明时代特征。当代中国人权观将坚持用马克思主义人权观来观察时代、解读时代、引领时代,坚持从鲜活丰富的人权实践中提炼升华人权理念,坚持用胸怀天下的态度吸收人类创造的一切优秀文明成果,不断开辟人权文明新境界。

  以中国式现代化为坚实依托。党的二十大报告明确了全面建成社会主义现代化强国、实现第二个百年奋斗目标、以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴的中心任务。中国式现代化之路也是当代中国人权观发展之路。让14亿多人口整体迈入现代化,艰巨性和复杂性前所未有。推进人权事业的方式和步骤必须立足现实条件,符合发展规律。人口规模巨大的现代化,要求我们必须秉持以人民为中心的人权理念,不断增进民生福祉,稳中求进推进人权保障;全体人民共同富裕的现代化,要求我们坚持把实现人民对美好生活的向往作为现代化建设的出发点和落脚点,让现代化建设成果更多更公平惠及全体人民,坚决防止两极分化;物质文明和精神文明相协调的现代化,要求我们顺应人民对高品质美好生活的期待,促进物的全面丰富和人的全面发展;人与自然和谐共生的现代化,要求我们不断加强环境权利保障力度,促进可持续发展;走和平发展道路的现代化,要求我们弘扬全人类共同价值,推动构建人类命运共同体,维护和平与发展的权利。随着中国式现代化的深入推进,当代中国人权观和中国人权事业必将不断开拓新局面。

  以当代中国人权观为指引,我国不断加强环境权利保障力度,取得了显著成效。图为2023年7月2日,在安徽芜湖弋江区义兴村,农民正驾驶拖拉机翻耕农田,成群的鹭鸟伴随着耕作的拖拉机翩翩起舞,构成一幅美丽和谐的生态田园画卷。 人民图片 肖本祥/摄

  以丰富人权文明为重大使命。人权是人类文明进步的标志,实现人民充分享有人权是人类社会的共同奋斗目标。当代中国人权观是世界人权文明中独具特色的重要组成部分。中华文明的连续性,决定了当代中国人权观是从具有中国特色的人权发展道路中凝练而来,吸取了古代中国以人为本、“仁爱”等理念,为世界贡献“人民至上”等思想。中华文明的创新性,决定了当代中国人权观始终与时俱进,创造性提出把生存权、发展权作为首要的基本人权,充分反映广大发展中国家的普遍诉求和共同心声。中华文明的统一性,决定了当代中国人权观是集体利益的反映,中国提出构建人类命运共同体理念,为全球人权治理凝聚广泛国际共识。中华文明的包容性,决定了当代中国人权观具有兼收并蓄的特性,中国不遗余力促进各种人权文明开展平等对话,让各种人权文明在交流互鉴中熠熠生辉。中华文明的和平性,决定了当代中国人权观的非霸权特性,中国积极推动全球人权治理,努力维护国际人权秩序。中华文明的突出特性,决定了当代中国人权观必将坚持守正创新,兼容并包,在文明交流互鉴中为人权文明发展进步作出新的更大贡献。

  实现中华民族伟大复兴中国梦的过程,也是实现社会公平正义和不断推动人权事业发展的进程。新征程上,必须进一步深入学习贯彻习近平总书记关于尊重和保障人权的重要论述,大力弘扬和践行当代中国人权观,坚定不移走中国人权发展道路,更好促进我国人权事业全面发展,积极推动全球人权治理,最大限度凝聚国际人权共识,谱写人权文明新篇章。

  作者:中国人权研究会常务副会长

 

 Promote and practice contemporary China's view of human rights - Qiushi.com
Qiushi.com
27–34 minutes

Promote and practice contemporary China’s view of human rights

Jiang Jianguo

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has regarded promoting the development of human rights as an important task of governance. He has delivered a series of important speeches and made a series of important expositions focusing on respecting and protecting human rights, profoundly answering what human rights are and how they should be implemented. Major issues such as promoting the development of China's human rights cause and how to promote global human rights governance have theoretically formed a contemporary Chinese view of human rights that stems from the "two combinations" and embodies the common values of all mankind. In practice, it has led the entire party and people of all ethnic groups in the country to establish a path for China’s human rights development that conforms to the trend of the times and suits the country’s national conditions. The General Secretary pointed out that cadres at all levels, especially leading cadres, must consciously study the Marxist view of human rights and contemporary China's view of human rights, raise awareness, enhance self-confidence, and proactively do a good job in respecting and protecting human rights. We must have a deep understanding of the rich connotations, practical achievements, global contributions and development momentum of contemporary China's view of human rights, and better promote the comprehensive development of the human rights cause.

1. The rich connotation of contemporary China’s view on human rights

The concept of human rights in contemporary China is a profound summary of our party’s long-term experience in developing human rights by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core. It is a profound insight into the evolution of human rights development in the world, a scientific summary of the living practice of human rights in contemporary China, and a reflection on the development of human rights in the world. The quintessence of the basic propositions and important views on human rights in contemporary China embodies the new understanding and overall grasp of the development of human rights by Chinese Communists in the new era. It is an important part of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and serves to promote China in the new era. It provides fundamental guidance for the development of human rights and contributes Chinese wisdom to the promotion of global human rights governance.

The leadership of the Communist Party of China is the fundamental guarantee for the development of China’s human rights cause. Respecting and protecting human rights is the unremitting pursuit of the Chinese Communists. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the leadership of the Communist Party of China and our country’s socialist system determine the socialist nature of our country’s human rights cause and our ability to ensure that the people are the masters of the country, insist on equal sharing of human rights, insist on planning human rights construction with systematic thinking, and promote all aspects of human rights development. comprehensive development of human rights, and constantly realize, safeguard and develop the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the people. Only under the leadership of the Communist Party of China can the Chinese people continue to create a happier and better life and gradually enjoy broader, more adequate, and more comprehensive human rights.

People's happy life is the greatest human right. The people are the greatest source of confidence for the Chinese Communist Party to govern and rejuvenate the country, and they are also the greatest driving force for the development of human rights. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the people’s interests should be the starting point and goal, constantly solve the most direct and practical issues that the people are most concerned about, and strive to let the people live a happy life. This is the greatest human right. The Communist Party of China adheres to the supremacy of the people, insists on respecting the people's dominant position, and always takes the people's yearning for a better life as the goal of its struggle. It implements human rights reflecting the people's aspirations, embodying the people's interests, safeguarding the people's rights, and enhancing the people's well-being in all aspects of the development of human rights causes by continuously improving the level of respecting and protecting the people's basic rights, and effectively enhancing the people's sense of prosperity, happiness, and security.

 

Our country continues to improve equal protection and special protection of women's rights and interests, and gives full play to the active role of women in all aspects. The picture shows a group portrait of female employees working on the front line of enterprises such as China First Heavy Industry Group, Harbin Electric Group, CRRC Qiche Group, Daqing Oilfield and other enterprises (from March 6 to 7, 2023, Wang Jianwei, Zhang Tao, Xie Jianfei, Shi Feng, Li Yulong, Photo by Zhang Yunsong). Xinhua News Agency


The right to survival and development are the primary basic human rights. Taking the rights to survival and development as the primary basic human rights is an inevitable choice made by our party based on the needs of the people and its own national conditions. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that survival is the basis for enjoying all human rights. The Chinese people know very well that freedom from poverty and hunger are the basis for survival. The effective protection of the right to subsistence is the prerequisite and foundation for the enjoyment and development of other human rights. The right to development and the right to survival are closely linked. We not only fully protect the people's basic right to survival, but also effectively guarantee the people's rights to equal participation and equal development.

Promoting human rights through development is the key path to fully realizing human rights. Development is the key to achieving people's happiness. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that in development, we must protect and improve people's livelihood and protect and promote human rights. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core has accurately grasped the new development stage, completely, accurately and comprehensively implemented the new development concept, accelerated the construction of a new development pattern, promoted high-quality development, and regarded development as the key to promoting the progress of the cause of human rights. The starting point and the master key to solving all problems is to focus on solving the problem of unbalanced and inadequate development, so that the results of development can benefit all people more and more equitably, and to continuously improve the level of human rights protection in the process of promoting Chinese-style modernization.

A safe and stable environment is an important condition for promoting the development of human rights. Safety is a basic human need, and peace is a basic requirement for people's happiness and well-being. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that national security is the foundation of national rejuvenation, and social stability is the prerequisite for national strength. Social stability and national peace and security are not only the ardent expectation of the broad masses of the people, but also an important goal of our party's governance. Over the past 70 years since the founding of New China, our Party has led the people to create a miracle of rapid economic development and long-term social stability that is rare in the world. Since the new era, the Chinese people's sense of security has always remained high, and the international community generally believes that China is one of the safest countries in the world.

Adhering to the equal sharing of human rights is the institutional orientation of developing human rights causes. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that human rights are not privileges enjoyed by some people or a few people, but universal human rights enjoyed by the broad masses of the people. In the process of promoting the development of human rights in contemporary China, we have gradually established a social equity guarantee system with fair rights, fair opportunities and fair rules as the main content, and constantly improved the system for specific groups such as ethnic minorities, women, children, the elderly and the disabled. We have established equal protection and special protection of rights and interests, and strive to promote more adequate protection of people's rights and common development for everyone.

The rule of law is the most effective guarantee of human rights. Comprehensively governing the country according to law is related to the happiness and well-being of the people. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the fundamental purpose of promoting comprehensive rule of law is to protect the people's rights and interests in accordance with the law. We give full play to the role of the rule of law in consolidating the foundation, stabilizing expectations, and benefiting the long-term. We continue to deepen reforms in the field of the rule of law, improve the legal protection mechanism for human rights, effectively ensure that people enjoy extensive rights and freedoms in accordance with the law, continuously improve the level of legal protection of human rights, and strive to ensure that the people feel fairness and justice in every legal system action, every law enforcement decision, and every judicial case.

Realizing the free and comprehensive development of people is the highest value pursuit of human rights protection. The Communist Manifesto writes, “What will replace the old bourgeois society, with its classes and class antagonisms, will be a union in which the free development of each person is the condition for the free development of all people.” General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the ultimate goal of modernization is to achieve the free and comprehensive development of people. We coordinate the promotion of economic development, democracy and the rule of law, ideology and culture, fairness and justice, social governance, environmental protection and other constructions, and comprehensively improve the level of human rights protection in the coordinated development of material civilization, political civilization, spiritual civilization, social civilization and ecological civilization. This contributes to the creation of conditions for people's free and all-round development.

Building a community with a shared future for mankind is the mission of promoting global human rights governance. The development of human rights is a common cause for all mankind. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that China is willing to work with the international community to promote global human rights governance in a more fair, just, reasonable and inclusive direction, promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and jointly build a better world. China promotes the common values of all mankind, advocates mutual respect, mutual tolerance, mutual exchange and mutual learning among different civilizations and countries, implements global security initiatives, global development initiatives, and global civilization initiatives, and jointly promotes the development of human rights. International human rights affairs should be discussed together by all countries, the global human rights governance system must be jointly built by all countries, and the results of human rights development must be shared by the people of all countries.

2. Practical achievements of contemporary China’s view of human rights

Contemporary China's view of human rights originates from practice and guides practice, guiding us to embark on a human rights development path suitable for governance given our country's national conditions. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly summarized the main features and valuable experiences of China's human rights development path, that is, adhering to the leadership of the Communist Party of China, adhering to respecting the people's dominant position, adhering to proceeding from my country's reality, upholding the rights to survival and development as basic human rights, adhering to legal protection human rights, and insist on actively participating in global human rights governance. Guided by contemporary China's view of human rights and unswervingly following China's human rights development path, my country's human rights cause has made historic achievements.

The level of protection of the right to subsistence and the right to development has been effectively improved. As scheduled, we have won the battle against poverty that is unprecedented in scale and intensity and has benefited the largest population in human history. We have historically solved the absolute poverty problem that has plagued the Chinese nation for thousands of years and built a moderately prosperous society in all respects. From 2012 to 2022, the per capita disposable income of residents nationwide increased from 16,510 yuan to 36,883 yuan. Comprehensively do a good job in employment, income distribution, education, social security, medical care, housing, elderly care, child care and other aspects, build the world's largest education system, social security system, medical and health system, effectively respond to the new crown epidemic, and protect the people to the maximum extent People's life safety and physical health have laid a solid foundation for people to live a better life.

Whole process people's democracy guarantees the continuous development of democratic rights. We vigorously improve the system of people being the masters of the country, build diverse, smooth, and orderly democratic channels, actively develop people's democracy throughout the process, and fully protect the people's rights to elect and be elected, the right to know and the right to participate, the right to express and the right to supervise, etc. The people enjoy broader, more adequate and more comprehensive democratic rights. Since the reform and opening up, the voter participation rate in direct elections for people's congress deputies at the township and county levels in my country has remained at around 90%. In 2022, more than 1 billion voters directly elected more than 2.6 million deputies to the people's congresses at the county and township levels, effectively ensuring that the people are the masters of the country. Deputies to the people's congresses at all levels come from all ethnic groups, industries, classes, and parties, and are broadly representative. The CPPCC fully respects and protects the rights of all democratic parties to express opinions and make suggestions in the CPPCC, promotes broad unity, promotes multi-party cooperation, and practices people's democracy during consultations.

 

The picture shows that on June 5, 2023, at the Complete Primary School of Tashi Zongxiang, Dingri County, Shigatse, Tibet, Tenzin Jizong (front row, left) from Class 3, Grade 4, was taking piano lessons with his friends. Piano lessons are one of the 16 interest classes in the school. In order to meet the various needs of students, the school has set up interest classes such as information technology, art, broadcasting, sports, dance, and handicrafts to promote the all-round development of students. Xinhua News Agency reporter Fei Maohua/Photo

Good laws and good governance to protect human rights have been comprehensively promoted. We respect and protect human rights throughout all aspects of legislation, law enforcement, judiciary, and law-abiding. We continue to promote scientific legislation, strict law enforcement, fair justice, and law-abiding by all people, and comprehensively protect human rights while comprehensively advancing the rule of law. As of September 1, 2023, there are 298 effective laws and 601 administrative regulations in my country. The socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics is becoming increasingly scientific and perfect, and the foundation for the legal protection of human rights is increasingly solidified. Significant progress has been made in the construction of a law-based government, the reform of administrative law enforcement systems and mechanisms has been vigorously promoted, and the level of strict, fair and civilized law enforcement has generally improved. The reform of the judicial system has achieved fruitful results: the power allocation and operation mechanism have been reformed, and the credibility of the judiciary has been significantly improved; a special campaign against gangs and evil has been carried out to effectively protect the safety of people's lives and property; the litigation system and mechanism have been improved to achieve the unity of justice and efficiency at a higher level. ; Improve reform measures that are convenient and beneficial to the people, and effectively safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the people. Promote law-abiding by all people, popularize the concept of human rights and the rule of law, and further enhance the awareness of human rights and the rule of law in the whole society.

The rights and interests of specific groups are effectively safeguarded. We strengthen the protection of the rights and interests of ethnic minorities, women, children, the elderly and persons with disabilities. We must uphold the equality of all ethnic groups and promote the all-round development of ethnic minority causes. A legal system including more than 100 laws and regulations has been established to comprehensively protect the rights and interests of women and children. Implement the national strategy to actively respond to population aging, integrate the concept of positive aging and healthy aging into the entire process of economic and social development, and promote the coordinated development of elderly care services, health support, social participation, and rights protection. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, more than 85 million disabled people have received comprehensive support in rehabilitation, education, employment and spiritual culture; during the "13th Five-Year Plan" period, more than 7.1 million registered poor disabled people have been lifted out of poverty.

Practice has proved that contemporary China's view of human rights is a scientific theory with strong truth and practical power; China's human rights development path is a broad road to respect and protect human rights. It is a human rights development path that conforms to the trend of the times, has Chinese characteristics, and meets the needs of the people.

3. The global contribution of contemporary China’s view of human rights

China has always had a sentiment for the world and is willing to benefit the world. Contemporary China's view on human rights not only provides scientific guidance and action guidelines for promoting the development of China's human rights cause, but also provides Chinese wisdom, Chinese solutions and Chinese strength for promoting global human rights governance.

A series of Chinese propositions provide Chinese wisdom for global human rights governance. China advocates safeguarding human rights with security, respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, following the path of peaceful development, practicing global security initiatives, and creating a peaceful environment for the realization of human rights. Security is an important prerequisite for fully protecting and promoting human rights. China takes practical actions to adhere to a new security concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable, promote the peaceful settlement of disputes, and maintain world peace and regional security and stability. China has made joint speeches on behalf of developing countries at the United Nations Human Rights Council on the theme of "maintaining peace, promoting and protecting human rights" on many occasions, and relevant propositions have been highly endorsed by the majority of developing countries. China advocates promoting human rights through development, implements global development initiatives, makes development more inclusive, universally beneficial and sustainable, and ensures the fair enjoyment of human rights by people of all countries through its own unique path to modernization. China's experience in protecting and promoting human rights in development has gradually become a global consensus. The United Nations Human Rights Council has adopted the resolution "Contribution of Development to the Enjoyment of All Human Rights" submitted by China three times. The Global Development Initiative has received support from more than 100 countries and international organizations, and nearly 70 countries have participated in the "Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative" established on the United Nations platform. China advocates promoting human rights through cooperation, respecting each other, treating each other as equals, practicing global civilization initiatives, strengthening exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, building consensus through dialogue, and jointly promoting the development and progress of human rights civilization. China upholds openness and inclusiveness, actively carries out dialogue, consultation and exchanges and discussions, shares its experience in human rights protection with other countries, bridges differences through dialogue, and enhances mutual trust through cooperation. The "High-end Forum on Global Human Rights Governance", "South-South Human Rights Forum" and "Beijing Human Rights Forum" founded by China continue to generate inspiration and contribute wisdom to global human rights governance.

A series of Chinese principles provide Chinese solutions for global human rights governance. China advocates that global human rights governance should adhere to the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, unify the interests of its own people with the interests of people around the world, and move towards building a community with a shared future for mankind. The concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind has been included in the resolutions of the United Nations Human Rights Council more than 10 times, becoming an important part of the international human rights discourse system and providing solutions for improving global human rights governance. China insists that multilateralism is an important foundation for promoting global human rights governance and opposes violations of human rights under the pretext of sovereignty and the "principle of non-interference in each other's internal affairs" are generally recognized by the international community and supported by the majority of developing countries. China has actively participated in the formulation and improvement of global human rights governance rules, participated in the working group meetings for the formulation of multiple core human rights conventions such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child, participated in the drafting of the Declaration on the Right to Development as a main promoter, and served as the Vice-President of the Second World Conference on Human Rights. Participated in the drafting of the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action, and the formulation of international rules in the fields of labor protection, humanitarianism, social responsibility and other fields. China actively promotes the reform of the United Nations human rights mechanism and advocates that multilateral human rights institutions should uphold the principles of universality, fairness, objectivity, non-selectivity and non-politicization, abide by their mandates, respect the sovereignty of member states, and promote constructive dialogue and cooperation among all parties.

A series of China’s contributions provide China’s strength for global human rights governance. China regards making new and greater contributions to mankind as its mission and firmly believes that only when people of all countries live a good life can prosperity be lasting, security guaranteed, and human rights have a foundation. Since the new era, China's foreign aid has transformed and upgraded to international development cooperation, providing sincere and effective assistance to the development of human rights in developing countries. China supports and helps developing countries promote economic and social development by assisting in completing complete projects, providing materials, carrying out technical cooperation and human resources development cooperation, dispatching volunteers, and reducing or exempting debts of relevant countries. Provide financial assistance and financial support to developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America through the establishment of special funds and loans such as the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, China's financing package for Latin America, and the China-ASEAN Infrastructure Special Loan. The development cooperation carried out by China includes not only major infrastructure construction such as the China-Laos Railway, a landmark project of the "One Belt and One Road", but also "small but beautiful" technologies such as Juncao technology that have been promoted to more than 100 countries and boosted local development. People's livelihood projects have played an important role in helping developing countries enhance their development capabilities, improve people's livelihood, and protect human rights.

Under the guidance of contemporary China's view of human rights, China participates in global human rights governance and has always adhered to the concepts of equality, mutual trust, tolerance and mutual learning, win-win cooperation, and common development. It strictly respects the sovereignty of other countries and will never interfere in other countries' internal affairs without any conditions. , does not ask for any privileges, and resolutely safeguards the universality and validity of the United Nations Charter. On the contrary, some countries have numerous human rights problems of their own, but they practice double standards and arbitrarily interfere in the internal affairs of other countries under the banner of "human rights", creating division, turmoil, and war, which have seriously affected and violated the healthy development of the world's human rights cause. China firmly opposes hegemony and bullying in the name of human rights, respects the human rights development paths of all countries, actively engages in human rights dialogue and cooperation, promotes the reform and construction of the global human rights governance system, and works with people of all countries to build a better future for the world.

, tith the source of living water dug by the ideological and theoretical system of "two combinations", the fertile soil created by the great journey of Chinese-style modernization, and the surging momentum provided by the ideals and aspirations of enriching human rights civilization, contemporary China's view of human rights will surely further develop and improve.

Take "two combinations" as an inexhaustible source. Contemporary China's view of human rights is a theoretical achievement that combines the Marxist view of human rights with China's specific reality and with China's excellent traditional culture. It is a practical achievement created by the people led by the Communist Party of China in the exploration of the cause of human rights. It is also an eclectic collection of advanced human rights ideas. Civilization is fruitful. The Marxist view of human rights' concern for "human liberation" and the theoretical construction of "human freedom and comprehensive development" have laid the foundation for contemporary China's view of human rights. The world outlook, world outlook, social outlook, and moral outlook contained in China’s excellent traditional culture have laid the historical and civilizational foundation for contemporary China’s outlook on human rights. Since its birth, the Communist Party of China has closely linked national liberation, national independence and the vital interests of the people. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, especially since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, China's human rights cause has developed in an all-round way, marking contemporary China's view of human rights with distinctive characteristics of the times. Contemporary China's view of human rights will insist on using the Marxist view of human rights to observe, interpret and lead the times, insist on refining and sublimating the concept of human rights from fresh and rich human rights practices, and insist on absorbing all outstanding civilizational achievements created by mankind with a world-minded attitude. Continuously open up new realms of human rights civilization.

Based on Chinese-style modernization, the report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China clarified the central tasks of building a modern and powerful socialist country in an all-round way, achieving the second centenary goal, and comprehensively promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-style modernization. The road to Chinese-style modernization is also the road to the development of contemporary China’s view of human rights. Bringing more than 1.4 billion people into modernization as a whole is more difficult and complex than ever. The methods and steps to advance the cause of human rights must be based on realistic conditions and conform to the laws of development. Modernization with a huge population requires us to uphold the people-centered concept of human rights, continuously improve people's livelihood and well-being, and strive for progress while maintaining stability to promote human rights protection; modernization with common prosperity for all people requires us to persist in realizing the people's yearning for a better life as a The starting point and goal of modernization is to make the results of modernization benefit all people more and more equitably, and resolutely prevent polarization; modernization that harmonizes material civilization and spiritual civilization requires us to comply with people's expectations for high-quality and beautiful life, and promote material progress. Comprehensive enrichment and all-round development of people; modernization of harmonious coexistence of man and nature requires us to continuously strengthen the protection of environmental rights and promote sustainable development; modernization of taking the path of peaceful development requires us to promote the common values of all mankind and promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind , safeguard the right to peace and development. With the further advancement of Chinese-style modernization, contemporary China's view of human rights and China's human rights cause will continue to open up new prospects. 

Guided by contemporary China's view of human rights, our country has continuously strengthened the protection of environmental rights and achieved remarkable results. The picture shows that on July 2, 2023, in Yixing Village, Yijiang District, Wuhu, Anhui, farmers were driving tractors to plow farmland. Flocks of herons danced along with the plowing tractors, forming a beautiful and harmonious ecological pastoral picture. People's Pictures/Photo by Xiao Benxiang

Taking enriching human rights civilization as a major mission. Human rights are a symbol of the progress of human civilization, and realizing people's full enjoyment of human rights is the common goal of human society. Contemporary China's view of human rights is a unique and important part of the world's human rights civilization. The continuity of Chinese civilization determines that contemporary China's view of human rights is condensed from the development path of human rights with Chinese characteristics, absorbing ancient Chinese concepts such as people-oriented and "benevolence", and contributing to the world such ideas as "people first". The innovative nature of Chinese civilization determines that contemporary China's view of human rights has always kept pace with the times, creatively proposing the rights to survival and development as the primary basic human rights, fully reflecting the common aspirations and common aspirations of the vast number of developing countries. The unity of Chinese civilization determines that contemporary China's view of human rights is a reflection of collective interests. China has proposed the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind and built broad international consensus for global human rights governance. The inclusiveness of Chinese civilization determines the inclusive nature of contemporary China's view of human rights. China spares no effort to promote equal dialogue among various human rights civilizations, allowing various human rights civilizations to shine through exchanges and mutual learning. The peaceful nature of Chinese civilization determines the non-hegemonic nature of contemporary China's view of human rights. China actively promotes global human rights governance and strives to maintain the international human rights order. The outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization determine that contemporary China's view on human rights will adhere to integrity, innovation, inclusiveness, and make new and greater contributions to the development and progress of human rights civilization through exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.

The process of realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is also a process of realizing social fairness and justice and continuously promoting the development of human rights. On the new journey, we must further study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important exposition on respecting and protecting human rights, vigorously promote and practice contemporary China’s view of human rights, unswervingly follow China’s human rights development path, better promote the comprehensive development of my country’s human rights cause, and actively Promote global human rights governance, maximize international human rights consensus, and write a new chapter in human rights civilization.

Author: Executive Vice President of China Human Rights Research Association

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