From Chinese Press

Human rights dialogues need mutual understanding

(peopledaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2011-05-04 16:52

Both sides have conducted face-to-face exchanges in terms of successful human rights protection methods, jointly discussed existing issues and learned from each other in order to further advance the development of their own human rights cause. It is known that China has referred to foreign experience before launching the ongoing community correction program and foreign countries have also followed some of China's human rights protection methods. China has come to develop human rights ideas and practice methods with Chinese characteristics based on its domestic context and experience of other countries during recent years. This has undoubtedly enriched human rights protection theories and practice and should partly be attributed to China's proactive human rights talks with other countries.

The human rights talks have shown China's posture of openness. China calls for advancing human rights cooperation through talks, which itself is a contribution to the international human rights cause. The constructive talks with other countries have displayed China's attitude of openness in terms of the human rights issue.

Communication, exchanges and on-site visits have also made some Western media agencies and organizations that hold stereotyped views about China aware that protecting human rights relies on not only what a country has said but also what a country has done. Certain countries highly advocate human rights while arbitrarily violating the sovereignty of other countries, causing humanitarian disasters and frequent human rights scandals. China has always been open and pragmatic to advance human rights in the process of development, so its people's political, economic and social rights have improved remarkably. It is not difficult to tell which way is better.

However, just as rainbows appear only after the wind and rain, the human rights talks are not always a smooth process. Although the Cold War has been over for about 20 years, certain Westerners are still trapped in the Cold War mindset, and often unrealistically demand China to solve a bunch of non-existent problems in hopes of forcing China to make concessions or even to change its political system. To their disappointment, all such efforts are destined to be in vain because neither the Chinese government nor the Chinese people will compromise on principles. China's development pattern should depend on the Chinese people, and foreign countries should not interfere. The Chinese people will never allow anyone to damage the interests of their country.

Some people claimed that the human rights talks with China have only limited success, so the value of such dialogues should be re-evaluated. However, if viewed from a different perspective, the "limited success" proves that China has always adhered to its principles when carrying out the dialogues on human rights. If the success of human rights talks were only measured by whether China accepted the "instructions" from Western countries and changed its political system, the talks would only cause tension and end in deadlock. In fact, forcing other countries to do things against their will is undemocratic and is in violation of human rights. Dialogues and interaction should benefit both sides, and China will never surrender to unreasonable and unrealistic demands from foreign countries.

Exerting pressure on other countries in the name of human rights, politicizing the issue of human rights and adopting double standards have become more and more unpopular. The international human rights situation shows that dialogues and cooperation have become an irreversible trend.