Chinese FM meets UN human rights chief

GUANGZHOU, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet in Guangzhou on Monday.

Wang welcomed Bachelet's first visit to China as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, saying it is the first time after an interval of 17 years that China has hosted a UN high commissioner for human rights, which is of landmark significance to both sides.

Wang said that he hoped that Bachelet's visit will be a trip of enhancing mutual understanding, a trip of strengthening cooperation, and a trip of clarifying matters.

Stressing that the Communist Party of China (CPC) always puts people first, Wang said the CPC has led the Chinese people on a path of socialism with Chinese characteristics that suits the national conditions, and made historic achievements in reform and opening up, and is widely supported by the Chinese people.

China has always prioritized the rights to subsistence and development, protected citizens' legitimate rights and interests, and safeguarded the rights of ethnic minorities, Wang said.

While vigorously advancing its own human rights cause, China advocates the universal values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom, he said.

He said China promotes the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and makes its own contribution to solving major issues facing human society and promoting human rights progress around the world.

In terms of promoting international human rights progress, Wang called for adhering to mutual respect and avoiding politicization of human rights; adhering to fairness and justice and avoiding double standards; seeking truth from facts and avoiding disconnection from national conditions; upholding openness and inclusiveness and avoiding creation of camp confrontation.

Wang said major countries should take the lead in practicing multilateralism, abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, respecting international law and safeguarding international fairness and justice.

"Multilateral human rights institutions should become a platform for cooperation and dialogue, rather than a new battlefield for division and confrontation. China is ready to carry out constructive cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) based on mutual respect and on an equal footing," he said.

Bachelet congratulated China on its important achievements in economic and social development and in promoting the protection of human rights.

She spoke highly of China's contribution in supporting multilateralism, development financing and sustainable development, poverty reduction, climate change and ecological protection and other areas that are vital to human rights development.

She said OHCHR attaches great importance to China's role and hopes to take this visit as an opportunity to enhance mutual understanding and trust, jointly cope with global challenges and promote the development of international human rights.

Bachelet arrived in China on Monday, and will visit south China's Guangdong Province and northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.