China Society for Human Rights Studies’ President Padma Choling emphasized China’s contributions to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights during a seminar commemorating its 75th anniversary. The event, held ahead of International Human Rights Day on December 10, gathered over 70 participants, including officials, experts, and scholars in Beijing.
Choling, also a vice chairperson of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People’s Congress, highlighted China’s active role in drafting the declaration, infusing its rich human rights philosophy. He underlined the infusion of traditional Chinese culture, emphasizing concepts like benevolence, love, and harmony with nature, making the declaration globally inclusive.
China has been a consistent advocate of the declaration’s spirit, rejecting a singular understanding of human rights and opposing the forced promotion of “universal” systems. Choling cited China’s achievements, lifting millions out of poverty and establishing extensive social systems, as evidence of its commitment to human rights. He urged researchers to interpret China’s contemporary human rights perspective.
Li Lin from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences praised General Secretary Xi Jinping’s emphasis on human rights development. The contemporary Chinese outlook on human rights reflects an inheritance, innovation, and major development of the declaration’s principles. China’s approach ensures its vast population enjoys human rights, demonstrating its commitment to international human rights.
Chang Jian, director of the Human Rights Research Center at Nankai University, emphasized China’s pragmatic approach to human rights, providing better conditions for the population’s dignity and values. While some Western countries politicize human rights, China advocates unity and cooperation, opposing the imposition of a Western model on all nations. China calls for a comprehensive human rights system and achieves actual human rights through policy-making and conditions creation, challenging narrow definitions by some Western critics.