Chinese representatives comprehensively presented China’s views on human rights and reiterated China’s position during talks with visiting EU diplomats, who came to attend the 39th session of the joint Human Rights Dialogue in Chongqing on June 16 and visited southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region between June 13 and 15.
The agenda and program allowed for in-depth discussions on a wide range of human rights developments, both in China and the EU.
Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Miao Deyu gave a comprehensive introduction to the concept and achievements of human rights in China during talks with Paola Pampaloni, Deputy Director General for Asia and the Pacific of the European External Action Service (EEAS) in Beijing on June 17.
Miao stressed that the Communist Party of China adheres to the fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly and that China believes developing and safeguarding the fundamental interests of its people is the greatest human right. Miao added that the development of China’s human rights cause suits its national conditions and has made historic achievements.
“China is comprehensively promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with Chinese modernization, which will further improve the level of China’s human rights protection,” said Miao.
He noted that China opposes politicizing the human rights issue and applying double standards. China opposes imposing a single human rights model on others, using human rights as an issue to interfere in China’s internal affairs, and engaging in confrontation on multilateral platforms. Miao expressed the hope to strengthen communication between China and Europe to get a better understanding of each other.
Shen Bo, Director-General of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, and Pampaloni co-chaired Sunday’s China-EU human rights dialogue.
A teacher is teaching students Tibetan language at a primary school in Lhasa, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, March 6, 2024. /CFP
He lodged solemn representations with the EU in the dialogue over the recent release of its annual report on global human rights and democracy, and firmly refuted the groundless accusations made by the EU about China’s human rights situation, including judicial procedures, the death penalty, labor rights, and ethnic and religious issues.
Shen stressed that individual judicial cases and issues related to Xinjiang, Xizang and Hong Kong are China’s internal affairs and tolerate no external interference. He asked the EU to respect China’s human rights development path and stop using human rights issues to interfere in China’s internal affairs.
China raised the situation and treatment of refugees and migrants, and manifestations of racism, xenophobia, and violence against women in the EU, and asked the EU to earnestly resolve these issues.
China and the EU agreed that the dialogue was candid, in-depth and conducive to enhancing mutual understanding. China and the EU will explore opportunities for cooperation in the multilateral framework on economic social and cultural rights, business and human rights, women and children’s rights, as well as the rights of persons with disabilities.
The EU diplomats visited schools, and cultural and religious sites in Xizang as part of the dialogue. The dialogue was followed by an exchange of views with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Beijing Institute of Technology in Beijing on June 17.
Experts say such official communication and field trips allow European countries to understand the practice of China’s human rights more objectively and truthfully, and will help eliminate certain misunderstandings.
The last China-EU Human Rights Dialogue was held in Brussels, Belgium, in February 2023, which marked a resumption of the talks after a suspension since 2019. The EU’s foreign affairs spokesperson said that although the EU and China have different views on human rights, this is exactly why the dialogue is important.
Source: CGTN