Citing political bias, China rejects Western-led human rights recommendations
- In Reports
- 11:45 AM, Jul 05, 2024
- Myind Staff
At a U.N. Human Rights Council session in Geneva on Thursday, China rejected Western-led recommendations for human rights reforms, including calls for greater freedoms in Hong Kong and improved treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang. However, it accepted numerous recommendations from its allies as it defended its human rights record. This meeting concluded a review process where Beijing chose counter-criticism following a 2022 U.N. report that suggested that the detention of Uyghurs and other Muslims in China's Xinjiang region might constitute crimes against humanity, a claim China strongly denies.
Omar Zniber, president of the Human Rights Council, announced that China had accepted nearly 70% of the over 400 reform recommendations it received during the U.N. review. China's ambassador, Chen Xu, emphasised the country's ongoing progress and development in human rights. He stated that China rejected recommendations that were "politically motivated based on disinformation, ideologically biased, or interfering in China's sovereign affairs," condemning attempts to "smear and attack" China.
Critics, however, argue that China's high acceptance rate is misleading. One Western diplomat suggested that China had "stacked the deck" by leveraging political influence to suppress the criticism. Reuters had earlier reported that China persuaded non-Western countries to praise its record by urging them to make "constructive recommendations."
British ambassador Simon Manley expressed frustration, noting that China had rejected all of the U.K.'s recommendations, including calls to cease Uyghur persecutions and repeal the Hong Kong security law. U.S. Human Rights Ambassador Michèle Taylor also expressed disappointment, accusing China of refusing to act on the recommendations.
"China's abuses constitute a rejection of U.N. assessments and recommendations and violate or undermine international commitments," Taylor said. In contrast, other countries offered praise. Russia's envoy commended China's "constructive approach," while Gambia's envoy admired the country's progress.
The U.N. review process is a routine examination that all countries undergo every few years, designed with the vision to protect human rights worldwide. In 2022, an attempt to hold a debate on the U.N. High Commissioner's report on China was voted down by mostly non-Western members, marking a diplomatic victory for Beijing.
Image source: Reuters
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