International community clear-eyed about Western countries' double standards on human rights: China

Most of the international community knows about Western countries’ double standards on human rights and their interference in other countries’ internal affairs, China said on Monday.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a routine press briefing in Beijing when asked to comment on a statement delivered by Pakistan on behalf of nearly 70 countries at the 51st session of the United National Human Rights Council.

The statement said that Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet are China’s internal affairs and expressed opposition to the politicization of human rights, double standards and interference in China’s internal affairs under the pretext of human rights.

“A handful of Western countries have blatantly interfered in the internal affairs of other countries in the name of human rights and repeatedly applied a double standard on the issue of human rights,” Wang said. “The overwhelming majority of the international community have long been clear-eyed about this.”

Nearly 100 countries “expressed their understanding and support for China’s legitimate position in various ways at the Human Rights Council,” Wang said. More than 20 countries “voiced support for China by making their separate statements or other means,” he said. “This speaks volumes about who enjoys broad support and who doesn’t.”

There were serious human rights problems “including gun violence, botched COVID response, human trafficking and so on” within the US and a handful of other Western countries, the ministry spokesperson noted.

“We urge these countries to stop lecturing other countries on human rights and stop applying a double standard and seeking political manipulation,” he said. “They need to be held accountable for the human cost and catch up on their human rights record.”