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Opposing Making Human Rights Political Issues

     
 
The 58th Session of the UN Commission on Human Rights was held in Geneva on March 18, 2002. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said at a press conference that China hopes that the UN Commission on Human Rights will follow the principles of equality and mutual respect, and profoundly exchange opinions on human rights issues of wide concern. China is against politicizing the human rights issues. The mechanism of the annual human right session and forum should contribute to mutual understanding and reference among nations, to enlarge consensus and promote the development of international human rights affairs, Zhang added.

Regarding some nations' deliberate accusation of China's human rights situation at the session, Zhang said China's human rights situation has been improving. Following China's reform and opening up, the last two decades have been the best period for China's human rights conditions. Minority ethnic groups, including those in Tibet and Xinjiang, enjoy abundant human rights and basic freedom. The accusations concerning China's human rights situation are groundless. China opposes the practice of making use of the human rights issue to impose pressure on other nations.

The U.S. Department of State issued its Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2001 on March 5, 2002, criticizing China's human rights records.

Honorary Chairman of the China Society for Human Right Studies Zhu Muzhi said the differences between China and the United States. on the human rights issue should, and could only be solved through dialogue. The United States can gain nothing from its indiscreet remarks or criticisms, but only frayed bilateral ties. The Chinese people hope the United States contributes more to the development of bilateral constructive and cooperative relations, which is also helpful to world peace and development.

Chairman of the UN Association of China and former Deputy Secretary General of the UN Jin Yongjian said the UN persistently emphasizes safeguarding and promoting human rights in all nations, and explicitly stipulates that such efforts must be based on the purpose and principles of the UN Charter, which means no interference in other nations' internal affairs is allowed. The UN has never requested or authorized the United States to compile this kind of report. What the United States did totally violated the purpose and principles of the UN Charter and the spirit of related international conferences and documents.

Vice Chairman and Secretary General of the China Society for Human Right Studies Dong Yunhu said the U.S. human rights reports have always accused the human rights records of more than 190 countries and regions besides the United States, while turning a blind eye to its own problems. This extremely conceited practice was even confronted by queries from inside the United States.