Respecting, safeguarding human rights unremitting pursuit of Chinese government: FM

NEW YORK, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- It is the unremitting pursuit of the Chinese government to respect and protect human rights, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi when meeting the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly here on Tuesday.

Noting that global human rights governance faces complex challenges, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said it is hoped that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) will adhere to multilateralism, perform its duties in a fair and objective manner, and engage in constructive dialogue and cooperation with various countries.

China opposes certain countries politicizing human rights and using human rights issues for confrontation, Wang said.

China stands ready to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the OHCHR on the basis of mutual respect and jointly promote the sound development of the international human rights cause, he added.

For his part, Turk said that the OHCHR is willing to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with China to enhance mutual understanding.