Unwaveringly Advancing China’s Human Rights Cause and Global Human Rights Efforts by Following the Path of Human Rights Development with Chinese Characteristics: An Analysis of Xi Jinping’s Book Entitled Respecting and Protecting Rights*

Unwaveringly Advancing China’s Human Rights Cause and

Global Human Rights Efforts by Following the Path of 

Human Rights Development with Chinese Characteristics: 

An Analysis of Xi Jinping’s Book Entitled 

Respecting and Protecting Rights

Wen Yan

The full enjoyment of human rights by all is the great dream of human society. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core has placed the interests of the people above all else, made the people’s aspirations for a better life its goal, continued to improve the level of respecting and protecting the Chinese people’s basic rights, achieved significant progress in advancing human rights in China, and made major contributions to the development of the world’s human rights endeavors. The newly published book by Xi Jinping, entitled Respecting and Protecting Rights, systematically compiles a series of his important statements on respecting and protecting human rights. It holds extremely important guiding significance for us to unswervingly continue on the path of human rights development with Chinese characteristics, protect the human rights of the Chinese people at a higher level, and promote a more just, reasonable and inclusive global human rights governance. 

I. The CPC and the Chinese Government Have Always Respected and Protected Human Rights 

The year 2021 marked the centenary of the CPC. The CPC’s 100 years have been 100 years of fighting for, respecting, protecting, and developing human rights. The Party’s centennial struggle has fundamentally changed the destiny of the Chinese people, greatly improved China’s human rights civilization, and enriched and developed the diversity of human civilizations. In the first part of his book, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly expounded on the historical contributions and achievements of the CPC and the Chinese government in respecting and protecting human rights. 

In modern times, due to the invasion of Western powers and the corruption of feudal rule, China gradually became a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society. The Chinese nation suffered unprecedented disasters, the Chinese people were oppressed and enslaved, and fell into deep suffering, with their right to survival being severely trampled upon and human dignity difficult to guarantee. As General Secretary Xi Jinping said, “The Chinese people understand just how important human values, basic human rights, and personal dignity are to social development.” Facing the devastation of the country and misery of the people, the Chinese people rose up in resistance. Dedicated patriots cried out as movements like the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the Westernization Movement, the Reform Movement of 1898, and the Yihetuan Movement erupted one after another. Various national salvation plans were rolled out, but all ended in failure, unable to lift the Chinese people out of the miserable state of oppression and enslavement. The historic mission of achieving national independence, people’s liberation, national prosperity and people’s happiness fell upon the shoulders of the CPC. 

General Secretary Xi pointed out that the greatest human right of all is the right to a happy life. Since the day it was founded, our Party has adhered to the original aspiration and mission of striving for the Chinese people’s happiness and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and has united and led the Chinese people in a long and arduous struggle to create a better life for themselves. The Party united and led the people in overthrowing the “three big mountains” of imperialism, feudalism and bureaucrat capitalism, establishing the People’s Republic of China, and achieving national independence and people’s liberation. In a country with thousands of years of feudal society history, the Party achieved the most extensive democracy for the people, allowing them to truly become masters of the country, society and their own destiny. It united and led the people in carrying out the socialist revolution and developing socialism, laying the fundamental political premise and solid institutional foundation for effectively protecting the people’s rights and freedoms. It also united and led the people in advancing reform, opening up and socialist modernization, creating economic miracles of rapid development rarely seen in the world and long-term social stability. It pushed the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation forward from standing up to becoming prosperous. The lives of hundreds of millions of Chinese people have steadily improved, and China’s human rights cause has achieved tremendous and world-admired accomplishments. 

Since the 18th Party Congress, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. The Party’s main task is to realize the First Centenary Goal and embark on a new journey toward realizing the Second Centenary Goal, continuing to advance toward the grand goal of realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. General Secretary Xi pointed out that the Chinese Dream is the dream of the Chinese nation and the Chinese people. The process in which the Chinese people strive to realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation is essentially one of realizing social fairness and justice and constantly advancing the cause of human rights. The Party Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core has adhered to the principle of putting the people first, always giving top priority to their rights, ensuring their people’s equal rights to participation and development, enabling the greater and fairer distribution of reform and development gains to all people, and constantly improving the level of respecting and protecting the basic rights of the Chinese people.

Under the firm leadership of the Party Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core, the National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2012–2015) and the National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2016–2020) were comprehensively implemented in succession, aligning and coordinating the national human rights action plans with national development plans. Particularly, through the sustained efforts of the entire Party and all ethnic groups across the country, we accomplished the goals of poverty alleviation on schedule, achieved the First Centenary Goal, and built a moderately prosperous society in all respects across the country, resolving the historic issue of absolute poverty. This has written a new chapter in China’s human rights endeavors and created a miracle in respecting and protecting human rights for humanity. Not only is this a milestone inscribed in the development of China’s human rights cause, but also an important milestone in the history of the world’s human rights endeavors. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that this is a great and glorious accomplishment for the Chinese nation, for the Chinese people, and for the CPC. 

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that on human rights issues, there is no completion, only progression. We are now marching with confident strides toward the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The Recommendations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China for Formulating the 14th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives through 2035, adopted at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, set “promoting individuals’ well-rounded development of individuals and all-around progress of society” and “promoting the comprehensive development of the human rights cause” as important goals for economic and social development. Linked to this, the National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2021–2025) was released in September 2021. At this new historical starting point, the Party will unite and lead the people in grasping the new development stage, implementing the new development philosophy, building a new development dynamic, and promoting high-quality development, while continuing to strive for a happier and healthier life and a higher level of human rights for the people. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the lives of the Chinese people will become happier, the rights of the Chinese people will be better protected, and China will make greater contributions to human progress. 

2. Following a Path of Human Rights Development Suited to China’s National Conditions to Ensure the People Run the Country 

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that democracy and human rights are the common pursuits of humanity. At the same time, the right of the peoples of all countries to independently choose their own development paths must be respected. In the second part of his book, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly expounded on the evaluation criteria for democracy and human rights, emphasizing the need to combine the universal principles of human rights with China’s realities, following a path of human rights development suited to China’s national conditions, and ensuring that the people run the country. 

When it comes to human rights, we do not believe there is a best, only better. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out that there is no one-size-fits-all path for human rights development in the world, and human rights protection has no “best,” only “better.” He stressed that our human rights approach is not based on any standard put forward by the West. No matter what stage of development we reach, human rights in China will always need to be developed in accordance with our national conditions and the demands of our people. If we reach our projected goals and expected levels, we will be doing very well. There is no need for us to imitate the West, and no need for the West to pass judgment on us. We should firmly reject overblown statements and actions from Western countries on the issue of China’s human rights.

Following the path of human rights development with Chinese characteristics

 Since the end of the Cold War, Western countries have used human rights issues to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs, causing some countries to descend into chaos, with some splitting into pieces, some engulfed in raging fires of war, and others in perpetual turmoil. On human rights issues, if we use the Western capitalist values to tailor our practices, and use the Western capitalist evaluation system to measure our country’s development, considering it acceptable as long as it meets Western standards and criticizing and attacking whatever does not meet Western standards as backward and outmoded, the consequences would be unimaginable. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that when a country is choosing its development path, the final say must go to the people of that country. There is no single remedy that can cure all ailments, and no one development model that can fix every country’s problems. For a long time, China has adhered to the guiding principles from the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, combining the universality of human rights with China’s realities, and has forged a path of human rights development that conforms to the trends of the times and has distinctive Chinese characteristics, making major contributions to the progress of human rights in China and the international human rights cause. On adhering to the path of human rights development with Chinese characteristics, General Secretary Xi Jinping has offered profound expositions from different perspectives on different occasions. He emphasized that as the times have progressed, human rights have advanced. It is necessary to apply the universality of human rights to contemporary realities in order to pursue a path of human rights development that is well-suited to China’s national conditions. We have followed a people-centered human rights philosophy, which regards the right to subsistence and the right to development as primary among the basic human rights, and we have coordinated the advancement of people’s economic, political, social, cultural, and environmental rights, so as to safeguard social fairness and justice and promote well-rounded development of individuals.

Developing socialist democracy

Democratic rights are an important part of human rights, and developing socialist democratic politics is about embodying the people’s will, safeguarding their interests, and inspiring their creativity, using institutional systems to ensure they run the country. On the issue of standards for evaluating democracy, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out that democracy is realized in a rich diversity of forms. It cannot be confined to rigid models, let alone claim there is only one evaluation standard that applies everywhere. Whether a country may be considered democratic or not should be determined by the people of that country, and not a handful of outsiders. It simply isn’t possible to homogenize every system. To assess the myriad political systems of our world with a single yardstick, to examine our diverse political structures in monochrome, is in itself undemocratic. He stressed that staying firmly committed to socialism with Chinese characteristics, we must always uphold, implement, and develop the system of people’s congresses, the system of CPC-led multiparty cooperation and political consultation, the system of regional ethnic autonomy, and the system of community-level self-governance. We must develop socialist consultative democracy, consolidate and expand the patriotic united front, widen the scope of orderly public participation in political affairs, and ensure that people participate extensively in national and social governance, so as to foster a political environment that is lively, stable, and conducive to unity.

Actively developing whole-process people’s democracy

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core has deepened its understanding of the laws governing the development of democracy and put forward the important concept of whole-process people’s democracy. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that whole-process people’s democracy in China has not only a full complement of institutional procedures but full participation in practice. Our democratic processes successfully integrate process-oriented and results-oriented democracy, procedural and substantive democracy, direct and indirect democracy, and democracy of the people and the will of the state. It is democracy that covers every link and every sector in every way possible—democracy at its most extensive, most genuine, and most effective. He stressed that We will continue to promote the development of whole-process people’s democracy, see that the principle of the people running the country is embodied explicitly and practically in the Party’s national governance policies and measures, in all aspects and levels of the work of Party and state institutions, and in the work to realize people’s aspirations for a better life.

III. Upholding a People-Centered Approach and Promoting Comprehensive Development of Human Rights 

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to protecting and promoting human rights. Adapting to the changes in the principal contradiction facing Chinese society, it has adhered to the people-centered development philosophy, taking the safeguarding of the people’s rights to subsistence and development as the primary task. It has made enhancing people’s wellbeing, guaranteeing their status as masters of the country, and promoting well-rounded development of individuals the starting point and ultimate goal of development, using development to drive human rights and promote all-around progress in the human rights cause. In this process, General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forward a series of new ideas, thoughts and requirements, which are fully reflected in Parts III to VIII of his book. 

Upholding the people-centered human rights philosophy

The people are the creators of history. Wholeheartedly serving the people is the fundamental purpose of our Party. Development is for the people, relies on the people, and its fruits should be shared among the people—this is the fundamental goal of advancing reform and opening up and building socialism with Chinese characteristics. General Secretary Xi has pointed out that The Party has in the people its roots and its lifeblood. The people are the power sustaining our Party in governance, the solid foundation underpinning our republic, and the fundamental basis supporting our efforts toward Party building and national renewal. This country is its people; the people are the country. As we have fought to establish and consolidate our leadership over the country, we have in fact been fighting to earn and keep the people’s support. We must always take the people’s aspirations for a better life as our goal, act on the fundamental purpose of the Party, implement the Party’s mass line, respect the principal position of the people, and respect the wishes they express, the experiences they create, the rights they hold, and the role they play in practice, so as to unleash the powerful stores of creativity residing among our people. After the 18th National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core has clearly put forward the people-centered development thought and the principle of upholding a people-centered approach to human rights, highlighting its staunch stance on representing the people. As China’s socialist cause has entered a new era, the principal contradiction facing Chinese society has evolved into one between the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life and unbalanced and inadequate development. The people’s needs for a better life are increasingly broad, demanding not only better material and cultural lives but also growing needs for democracy, rule of law, fairness, justice, security, and a sound environment. General Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed that we should work to meet the people’s demands, urgent needs, and expectations; make sure that the people share in the fruits of economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological development and that they feel a stronger, more direct, and more genuine sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security. 

The rights to substance and development are fundamental human rights, with the ultimate goal of achieving common prosperity for all people. Development is a perpetual theme in human society, and the United Nations Declaration on the Right to Development affirms that right to development is an inalienable human right. As the world’s largest developing country, prioritizing economic development is essential for national rejuvenation. Development remains the key to solving all of China’s issues, and the primary task is to ensure food security for over 1.4 billion people. 

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party Central Committee, with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core, has placed poverty alleviation at the forefront of its governance. Achieving poverty eradication for the entire impoverished population has been established as the baseline task and a key indicator of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. By adhering to targeted poverty alleviation and eradication measures, the country has launched the most extensive and impactful anti-poverty campaign in human history, benefiting the largest population. Through the concerted efforts of the entire Party and the Chinese people, China achieved a comprehensive victory in the battle against poverty at the significant moment of the centenary of the CPC. This victory created another monumental human achievement and provided a Chinese model for poverty reduction and governance, making a significant contribution to global poverty alleviation and the advancement of human rights. 

Eradicating absolute poverty is a crucial step toward promoting common prosperity for all people. General Secretary Xi Jinping has stated that common prosperity is an essential requirement of socialism and an important feature of modernization with Chinese characteristics. We are embarking on a new journey to build a modern socialist country in all respects. On this journey, we must place promoting the common prosperity of all our people in a more important position. We will move proactively to address the regional disparity, the urban-rural divide, and the income gap, promote social fairness and justice, and realize common prosperity for all on a gradual basis while resolutely preventing polarization.

Placing the safety and health of the people as the top priority

Ensuring the safety and health of the people is a major task for our Party’s governance and a crucial aspect of respecting and protecting human rights. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized that the Party should be committed to putting people first and exercising state power for the people, firmly establishing the concept of safe development, always put people’s lives and safety first, and make the people’s health a strategic priority, advance the development of a Healthy China, and see there is good coordination between economic and social development and the development of health.

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the most rapidly spreading, widely infectious, and challenging public health emergency since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Party Central Committee, with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core, unequivocally prioritized the safety and health of the people. The best doctors, the most advanced equipment, and the most urgently needed resources were mobilized nationwide to fully commit to treating the disease, with all treatment costs borne by the state. From infants just over 30 hours old to centenarians, from foreign students in China to foreigners in China, every life was given full protection, and the value and dignity of every person were carefully safeguarded.

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that life is the most precious of all things, since we only live once; once lost, it can never be recovered. When lives are at stake, we must protect them at all costs, because the fundamental mission of our Party is to serve the people wholeheartedly, and because ours is a socialist country run by the people. This spirit of prioritizing life above all else embodies the profound humanitarian tradition of the Chinese people and the CPC’s people-centered values.

Coordinating and promoting the economic, political, social, cultural and environmental rights of all people to promote well-rounded development of individuals

Safeguarding the economic, political, cultural, social and environmental rights and interests of the people is a fundamental requirement of China’s socialist system, and is the most important and fundamental work for bringing into play the people’s enthusiasm, initiative and creativity. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that the fundamental goal of our Party’s efforts to lead the people in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, carrying out reform and opening up, and promoting socialist modernization is to constantly improve the people’s material and non-material lives and promote people’s well-rounded development through the development of productive forces. He stressed that we must implement the five-sphere integrated plan and the four-pronged comprehensive strategy. We must deepen reform and opening up across the board, ground our work in this new stage of development, fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy, and foster a new development dynamic. We must promote high-quality development and build up our country’s strength in science and technology. We must uphold and improve the system of people’s congresses and advance the extensive, multilevel, and institutionalized development of consultative democracy. We also need to advance the development of democracy at the community level and expand the people’s orderly political participation. We should develop whole-process people’s democracy and ensure that the people run the country. We must develop cultural programs, safeguard the people’s cultural rights and enable them to lead richer, more fulfilling and higher-quality cultural lives. We must ensure that development improves people’s wellbeing by addressing the practical problems of most concern to them that affect their immediate interests, making steady progress in ensuring that people have access to childcare, education, employment, medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance. We should constantly promote social fairness and justice. We must strengthen and innovate social governance, maintain social harmony and stability, and ensure long-term peace and order so that people can live and work in contentment. We must promote harmony between humanity and nature, actively respond to the people’s aspirations, and advance ecological progress to provide more high-quality ecological products and continually meet the people’s growing need for a beautiful environment. 

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core has upheld and developed socialism with Chinese characteristics, promoted the coordinated development of material, political, spiritual, social, and ecological advancement, advanced common prosperity, national rejuvenation and a Beautiful China in a unified way, and continued to meet the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life, ensuring a greater, more secure and sustainable sense of fulfillment, happiness and security. 

Protecting the rights and interests of ethnic minorities, women, children, the elderly and the disabled

The Chinese Dream is the dream of our nation, of our country, and of every single Chinese person. In achieving a moderately prosperous society in all respects and realizing socialist modernization, not a single ethnic group can be left behind. General Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed that the unification of the ethnic groups into one nation is an invaluable treasure bestowed by our ancestors, and one of the country’s great strengths. We must better maintain ethnic unity and stability in ethnic regions, accelerate their development, improve differentiated regional support policies, legally protect the legitimate rights and interests of all ethnic groups, and ensure that ethnic minorities and regions achieve moderate prosperity in all respects and modernization together with the entire nation. Women’s rights are fundamental human rights, and children represent the future of our nation. We must uphold the basic state policy of gender equality, protect the legitimate rights and interests of women and children, and improve care and service systems. Old age is an important stage of life, so we must enhance awareness of proactively addressing an aging population across society, improve the quality of life and dignity for the elderly, and ensure that our elderly citizens have the care and support that they need to feel happy and secure. Persons with disabilities are equal members of the broader community, so we must develop initiatives for their wellbeing, strengthen rehabilitation services and continuously improve the legal protection of their rights and interests. 

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core has paid special attention and care to people facing difficulties, highly prioritizing the rights and interests of ethnic minorities, women, children, the elderly and disabled. It has implemented development plans for women, children, the disabled and ethnic minorities, ensuring they have equal opportunities to fully participate in economic, political, cultural and social life and share in development achievements. 

Strengthening the rule of law to protect human rights and ensuring the people’s extensive rights and freedoms in accordance with the law

The rule of law is an important safeguard for human rights. General Secretary Xi Jinping has stated that the fundamental purpose of comprehensively advancing law-based governance is to protect the people’s rights and interests in accordance with the law. We must implement the people-centered development philosophy throughout the entire process of legislation, law enforcement, adjudication and public compliance with the law. We must accelerate the improvement of legal systems that embody equal rights, equal opportunities and fair rules, protect citizens’ personal rights, property rights, rights of personhood and basic political rights from infringement, and ensure the realization of citizens’ economic, cultural and social rights, so that equality before the law is guaranteed for all. 

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core has actively responded to the new demands and expectations of the people by systematically studying and addressing prominent problems of great concern to them in the legal domain. It has advanced the rule of law, law-based governance and law-based administration in a coordinated way, promoted the integrated development of a law-based country, government and society, and continuously advanced sound legislation, strict law enforcement, impartial adjudication and society-wide law-abidance. It has ensured that respecting people’s interests, reflecting their aspirations, protecting their rights, and improving their wellbeing are implemented across all areas and throughout the entire process of comprehensively advancing law-based governance, thus promoting the respect and protection of human rights, so that the people can tangibly feel fairness and justice in every legal system, law enforcement decision and judicial case. 

IV. Promoting the Development of the Global Human Rights Cause and Working toward a More Just, Reasonable and Inclusive Global Human Rights Governance 

The CPC is a party dedicated to pursuing happiness for the Chinese people as well as the cause of human progress. It has always taken contributing further to humanity as its own mission. The CPC and the Chinese government have consistently upheld the banners of peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit. They have adhered to safeguarding world peace and promoting common development, pursued development through cooperation and promoted human rights through development, participated comprehensively in global human rights governance, and strived to advance the cause of human rights worldwide. In Part IX of the book, General Secretary Xi Jinping has provided an incisive elaboration on this subject.

Upholding and promoting the common values of humanity, and enriching the diversity of human civilizations

Human rights are a common pursuit of humanity, yet due to differences in culture, systems and paths, people of different countries have varying understandings of human rights. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that the world is diverse and colorful. Diversity makes human civilization what it is, and more importantly, diversity provides a constant source of vitality and dynamism for world development. Differences should not be feared; what should be feared are arrogance, prejudice, and hatred. What should be feared are attempts to impose hierarchy on human civilization or to force one’s own history, culture, and social system upon others. China calls for improving cultural exchanges and mutual learning, advancing international human rights exchanges and cooperation, and promoting better development of human rights in all countries. On several international occasions, Xi has called for advocating the common human values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom, and we should work together to provide a right guiding philosophy for building a better world. He emphasizes that peace and development are our common cause, fairness and justice our common ideal, and democracy and freedom our common pursuit. We need to foster broad-minded tolerance toward the ways different cultures understand values, and respect different peoples’ explorations into how to realize their values. By doing so, the common values of humanity will be concretely and realistically reflected in how individual countries serve the interests of their own people.

Always being a builder and guardian of world peace

Maintaining peace is a prerequisite for respecting and protecting human rights. China regards safeguarding world peace and opposing hegemonism and power politics as a sacred duty, resolutely opposing the wanton use or threat of force in resolving international disputes. Xi has stated that we should respect each other, discuss issues as equals, resolutely reject the Cold War mentality and power politics, and take a new approach to developing state-to-state relations with communication, not confrontation, and with partnership, not alliance. We should commit to settling disputes through dialogue and resolving differences through discussion, we should coordinate responses to traditional and non-traditional security threats, and we should oppose terrorism in all its forms. We must commit to a rational, coordinated, and balanced approach to nuclear security and get it on track toward healthy, sustainable development. 

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, under the firm leadership of the Party Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core, China has upheld the banners of peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, unswervingly followed the path of peaceful development, actively promoted the building of a global partnership, and taken an active part in the political resolution of international sensitive issues. Currently, China is a major contributor of personnel and funds to UN peacekeeping operations, with thousands of Chinese officers and soldiers braving harsh conditions and dangers in mission areas to maintain local peace. 

Striving to promote common development and prosperity for all countries

Development is key to achieving human wellbeing and an important basis for protecting human rights. Xi has pointed out that only common development is true development; only sustainable development is sound development. The long-term development of the world cannot be built on the basis of some countries getting richer and richer while others languish in poverty and backwardness. Only when all countries grow together can the world grow better. He advocates carrying forward the spirit of openness, helping each other, and promoting mutual benefit. We need to ensure fairness in development and more equitable access to development opportunities. We need to see that the benefits of development reach the peoples of all countries more often and more fairly. He calls on the international community to navigate a fair, open, comprehensive, and innovative path. 

Accelerating global poverty reduction and supporting the development of developing countries are important aspects of promoting common development. Xi notes that the Chinese people have always valued friendship, responsibility, and trustworthiness, and Chinese culture has always incorporated the fine traditions of helping the poor and taking pleasure in helping others. The CPC was born of the people and has relied on the people for its growth and development. It has always deeply cared about the people, both Chinese and those of other countries, and it is committed to working for their wellbeing.

Since the 18th CPC National Committee Congress, China has pioneered and promoted Belt and Road cooperation, dedicated to strengthening international cooperation on development, helping countries break through development bottlenecks, narrowing development gaps, and sharing the fruits of development. While striving to eliminate poverty at home, China has actively carried out South-South cooperation and promoted establishing a new type of international anti-poverty exchange and cooperation relationship centered on win-win cooperation. To the best of its ability, China provides aid without any political strings attached to other developing countries, supporting and helping the vast number of developing countries, especially the least developed, to eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable development.

At the general debate of the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly, Xi further put forward the Global Development Initiative, emphasizing adherence to a people-centered approach, benefits for all, innovation-driven development, harmony between humanity and nature, and results-oriented actions to accelerate implementation of the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Agenda and promote balanced, coordinated and inclusive global development. This initiative reflects the themes of the times—peace and development—and responds to the people’s ardent aspiration for a better life. It provides a guide to action for all countries to focus on development, work together on development, and pursue common development, injecting intellectual impetus. 

Promoting a more just, reasonable and inclusive global human rights governance and jointly building a human community with a shared future

The fates of humanity are interlinked. In the face of global issues, China actively participates in reforming and developing the global governance system, advocating democratization of international relations and upholding international equity and justice. On human rights issues, Xi has stated that human rights must and can only be advanced according to specific national conditions and people’s needs. We firmly oppose interference in other countries’ internal affairs behind the smokescreens of democracy, freedom, and human rights. He emphasizes that based on the common values, we should safeguard human dignity and rights and promote fairer, more equitable, and more inclusive global governance on human rights. It is important to respect and reflect the will of the people in developing countries in the spirit of justice, fairness, openness, and inclusiveness. We should advance development through cooperation, promote human rights through development, and build a human community with a shared future.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, Xi has advocated the concepts of innovative, coordinated, green, open and inclusive development, the security vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and the civilizational view of equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness. Facing the COVID-19 pandemic that threatens human life and health, he has called for jointly promoting the building of a human health community and put forward the Global Vaccine Cooperation Action Initiative. In the face of grave challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, desertification and frequent extreme weather events to human survival and development, he has advocated building a life community for humanity and nature. China has contributed its wisdom and approaches to global human rights governance. 

People’s Daily, January 13, 2022, p. 6.