Beijing, May 29. At the invitation of the Chinese government, UN Human Rights High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet paid a visit to China from May 23 to 28.Bachelet told a May 28 news conference that the visit was not an investigation but an opportunity.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Chinese government have agreed to establish regular contacts, including through an annual high-level strategy meeting, to discuss their respective issues at the national, regional or global level, Bachelet said.The two sides also agreed to set up a working group to promote substantive exchanges and cooperation by meeting in Beijing and Geneva.The working group will organize a series of follow-up discussions on specific thematic areas, including but not limited to development, poverty alleviation and human rights, minority rights, business and human rights, counter-terrorism and human rights, digital space and human rights, justice and legal protection and human rights, and Other issues raised by both parties.
When talking about the human rights situation in China, Bachelet pointed out that poverty alleviation and eradication of extreme poverty are 10 years ahead of the target date, which is a great achievement of China.The introduction of universal health insurance and unemployment insurance programs has gone a long way in protecting the right to health and broader social and economic rights.China's efforts to support the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals at home and abroad are also valued.
Bachelet said that over the years, China has carried out important legislative and judicial reforms.“On gender equality, I welcome the revision of the Law on the Protection of Women’s Rights and Interests, which will bring improvements to the protection of women’s rights. I also commend China’s recent codification of the Civil Code, which introduced provisions on sexual harassment, as well as restrictions on sexual harassment. order to protect women and children at risk.”
“I welcome China’s stated goal of ensuring high-quality development, which is closely related to strengthening the rule of law and respecting human rights. This is reflected in China’s National Human Rights Action Plan and other policy documents,” Bachelet said. My team has discussed in depth how national legislation and practice reflect international law and standards, particularly with regard to law enforcement and judicial processes, and we look forward to continuing to share our expertise with governments and the judiciary."
When talking about the human rights situation in the international community, Bachelet pointed out that the global human rights situation is not satisfactory. Many countries are in a state of conflict or in a post-conflict environment. Many specific human rights problems exist and may continue to occur. China's firm support for multilateralism will play a key role in the international community.
In addition, in response to a reporter's question about the recent Texas elementary school shooting in the United States, Bachelet said that the killings in Texas are sad and show that related issues have not been resolved.Everyone needs to keep working hard against racism, against those who think they are better than others, against those who think they have the right to kill others.This is a sense of racial superiority and we need to stop this terrible human rights situation from happening.(Finish)
