US arrogance will do nothing for human rights in China

The US believes it has the authority to lecture any country on human rights by frequently raising the issue. As a developed country, the US has seized the historical opportunities to develop its economy and rule of law to a high level, and thus always claims to have the most “advanced” political and cultural practices – despite being unable to solve its complicated domestic human rights problems such as racial discrimination.

China is a developing country with a huge population and faces the complicated task of developing into an all-round advanced society. So it is not difficult to find problems and deficiencies in the country. Given these facts, Washington’s accusations made against China on human rights issues reflect US arrogance.

China has made great progress on economic and social development. Its history, culture and national conditions are suited to a development philosophy that encompasses Chinese characteristics, with its highest point being the realisation of the so-called Chinese dream. China is yet to reach that goal, and it faces many difficulties and problems on the road to further development.

Nevertheless, Chinese people have fulfilled many other goals, gaining plenty of experience and confidence in the process. As a result, the Chinese people now share a strong belief that they should take the development road that is most suitable to the country’s conditions.

Although China will further open to the outside world and learn from other countries’ experiences, it cannot be expected to accept anything and everything foisted upon it by foreign powers.

Dialogue is always better than confrontation. No international law allows unwarranted interference by a foreign power in a sovereign state’s internal affairs. So no country has the right to do so.

As the most important hub for international relations, the United Nations is the highest forum for human rights communication and cooperation based on international law. The UN Human Rights Council periodically reviews rights issues across the world, and UN Human Rights Treaty bodies review reports of member countries on the execution of the treaty.

But the US once refused to join the UN Human Rights Council and has still not ratified several core UN human rights treaties, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and insists on following its own policies on the right to speech to prove it is superior to other countries. Considering the huge differences among countries and America’s endless domestic human rights challenges, the US is nothing but overconfident about its own beliefs and practices.

Human rights will continue to be one of the key topics in Sino-US relations. But the two great powers must chart a new path and set a new example of communication and cooperation on human rights if truly universal values are to be forged.

 

Liu Huawen is deputy director of the Centre for Human Rights Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.