From the halls of Geneva, China’s Permanent Representative Chen Xu rallied global leaders on March 2 at the UN Human Rights Council’s 61st meeting. His message: join forces to overhaul and elevate the international human rights regime amid mounting threats.
The timing is poignant—20 years since the Council’s inception, 40 since the Right to Development’s adoption. But unilateralism surges, protectionism rises, dominance rears its head. Multilateralism wavers, rights movements confront crises, and the Middle East’s turmoil demands urgent attention.
Prioritizing UN-centric multilateralism, Chen stressed equilibrium among security, growth, and rights pillars. Persistent reforms are vital for a resilient global system.
Beijing’s envoy underscored China’s proactive role in embedding rights within governance reforms. Key calls included shielding rights through security, creating peaceful settings for rights enjoyment, people-centric governance, holistic rights advancement, equality-driven progress, and ditching divisive politics.
Domestically, China’s 15th Five-Year Plan kicks off alongside the Two Sessions—CPPCC and NPC—fueling whole-process democracy to democratize modernization benefits widely. Globally, China invites cooperation for thriving human rights and a united human family.