China offers new idea on human rights governance

GENEVA - A group of Chinese human rights scholars on Wednesday elaborated the idea of a community of shared future for mankind in the context of human rights governance, saying interpretation of human rights ideas cannot be taken out of their cultural contexts.

Speaking during a side event at the ongoing 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council, the scholars said the protection and guarantee of human rights do not mean sharing burdens, but sharing responsibilities.

The event, which was jointly organized by the China Society for Human Rights Studies and China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations at Geneva, centered around the theme of "Building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind: a New Approach to Global Human Rights Governance".

During the event, the experts also discussed topics such as human rights challenges faced by the community of a shared future, the protection of human rights, China's contribution to global human rights governance, China's stance on and practice in religion, and the common pursuit of all members of the community of a shared future.

The 34th session of the council is being held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva from Feb 27 to March 24.

On March 1, Ma Zhaoxu, head of the Chinese mission to the UN in Geneva, delivered a statement on behalf of a cross-regional group of 140 countries during a high-level meeting of the session.

He stressed that in order to promote and protect human rights, all countries should join hands to build a community of a shared future for mankind, and to work together for the realization of peace, development and win-win cooperation for all.

He said politicization of the human rights agenda should be avoided, and countries should be committed to multilateralism, not unilateralism, in addressing global challenges. "All countries should work together like passengers in the same boat."