China has once again foiled an anti-China attempt brewed by the
United States when a "no-action" motion China tabled was passed by
voting in Geneva Thursday at the 60th session of the United Nations
Commission on Human Rights.
This is China's 11th victory over the US-led anti-China bid
since 1990.
With 28 votes for, 16 against and 9 abstentions, the 53-member
commission approved the Chinese motion, thus rejecting the US draft
resolution against China before it was put to the vote.
Chinese ambassador refutes US
accusation
In his statement before the vote, Chinese Ambassador Sha Zukang
said that if the logic of the United States -- the human rights
situation in China "worsened sharply" -- holds any truth, China
would have already backslid to the primitive stage.
"Facts have shown that far from backsliding, the human rights
situation in China has advanced significantly. Reacting from
disappointment and jealousy, the US came up with this anti-China
resolution," Sha told more than 500 participants at the
meeting.
A recent United Nations Development Program (UNDP) report has
acknowledged the enormous progress made by China in achieving the
Millennium Goals and predicted that China could realize most of the
goals in the Millennium Declaration by the year 2015, he said.
"It is particularly noteworthy that last March the National
People's Congress incorporated the concept of 'the state respects
and protects human rights' into the Chinese Constitution, thus
marking an important milestone in China's cause for promoting and
protecting human rights," he added.
Since the United States has repeatedly refused visits by the
special rapporteur on torture and other special mechanisms of the
Human Rights Commission, Sha said, "The US has no qualification to
find fault with China and nitpick China's human rights
situation."
Although the United States claims that the resolution this year
is very mildly-worded, Ambassador Sha said: "It is only obvious
that the US resolution is nothing but a sugar-coated bullet. And
even masquerading as a mild resolution, its true purpose of
obstinately interfering in the affairs of other countries in order
to serve its domestic interests cannot be concealed."
"Appointing itself as a 'human rights defender,' the US picks on
the human rights situations of other countries at will, but says
nothing about its own disastrous human rights records. I cannot
imagine how such a grand superpower could be so cowardly," he
said.
Sha reiterated that China welcomes well-intentioned criticisms
and suggestions from other countries, but the US anti-China
resolution is "for the sole purpose of serving the interests of its
domestic presidential election, rather than that of genuine concern
for human rights."
Int'l community praises China's
achievements
Pakistani representative Shaukat Umer said the US-brewed draft
resolution put in jeopardy the United Nations' objective of
cooperation among nations.
"In China, people enjoy all rights, and the government has been
committed to the respect of human rights for years," he said.
"At present, China is one of the leading economies of the world.
Its Gross National Product (GDP) has tremendously grown; it
exceeded even those of some developed nations. The efforts of China
have liberated its people from the shackles of poverty. China's
development record is a matter of pride for all," he added.
Russian representative Leonid Skotnikov said China had set an
impressive example across the board for the entire world, including
in the sphere of the protection of human rights.
"Nothing but astonishment could be expressed at the tabling of
this draft resolution. China has proved its openness to cooperation
and does not need any prompting from anybody," he said.
Ivan Mora Godoy, the Cuban representative, said: "The soap opera
of the draft resolution on China that had been followed for a
number of years was one of low quality."
"The exercise represented manipulation and attempts to bring
pressure to bear on China. It sought to interfere in China's
domestic affairs. This was a major problem of this infantilism --
it was like big boys who went around picking fights," he said.
"All should really learn from China. There should not be
blindness to the situation. China is not so small. It is a big
country in terms of will, people, and ability to grow," he
added.
The representative of Indonesia said Indonesia strongly believed
that genuine efforts to promote and protect human rights should be
based on a spirit of cooperation.
"The progress made in China in respect of economic, social and
cultural rights made clear the country's commitment to human
rights. China did not deserve to be targeted in such a manner," he
said.
The representatives of Sudan, Congo, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and
Mauritania also spoke at the meeting, stressing the great
achievements China has made on human rights and opposing the US
anti-China draft resolution.
(Xinhua News Agency April 16, 2004)