Senior Chinese Official Urges Cooperation in Human Rights Causes

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, March 03, 2002

Senior Chinese Official Urges Cooperation in Human Rights Causes

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Guangya Tuesday called on the international community to cooperate in facilitating a healthy development of the international cause of human rights.

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Wang called on the international community to cooperate

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Guangya Tuesday called on the international community to cooperate in facilitating a healthy development of the international cause of human rights.

Peace and stability are a basic guarantee

In a statement made at the 58th Session of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, Wang said peace and stability are a basic guarantee for the full realization of human rights. The international community should strive to solve all disputes between states by peaceful means without use or threat of force, so as to remove the root cause of armed conflicts and gross violation of human rights.

The Chinese government is deeply concerned over the recent escalating violence between Israel and the Palestinians, said Wang.The international community should pay more attention to the Middle East peace process and make greater efforts to this end so that human rights, including the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, could be realized at an early date.

Economic and social development is the foundation

He emphasized that economic and social development is the foundation for the full enjoyment of human rights. However, there are still about 1.3 billion people across the world living on lessthan 1 U.S. dollar a day. And more than 130 million children of school age in the developing countries have dropped out of school.

He urged the international community to attach greater importance to the right to development as well as economic, socialand cultural rights, and support the vast number of developing countries, the least developed countries in particular, to achievepoverty alleviation.

Due to their differences in history, culture, social system andthe stage of economic development, it is only natural that countries adopt various ways, approaches and processes in realizing human rights,said the Chinese official.

He said that as there are more than 200 countries and 2,500 ethnic groups in the world, people of all countries are entitled to choose their own form of democracy and path to development and to search for their own way for the promotion and protection of human rights.

Terrorism constitutes a gross violation

Wang reiterated that terrorism constitutes a gross violation of human rights and is thus a common enemy of humanity.

"China too is a victim of terrorism. We support the international community in its resolute strike on terrorism. There should be no double standard on this question. We should follow a consistent position on terrorism, no matter what disguises it wears, when and where it occurs and whom it is directed at," said Wang.

China enjoys equality and freedom in society

He said China has always upheld the value and dignity of the human being and in the past 50 years and more, China's gross domestic product has increased more than 100 times, ranking it 6thin the world. The past 20 years have also seen the reduction in China's poor by 200 million.

"Never before has China experienced so much openness and prosperity. Never before has China enjoyed so much equality and freedom in society and its people so much wealth and happiness," he added.

The Chinese government and people will stand ready to strengthen dialogue and exchanges with all countries, the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights and other international organizations on the basis of equality and mutual respect, he vowed.

The ongoing 58th Session of the Commission on Human Rights, which opened here on March 18, will last until April 26.

China's White Paper on Human Rights:
50 Years of Progress in China's Human Rights

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