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Statement by Counsellor YAO Shaojun during the Interactive Dialogue with the High Commissioner for Human Rights at the Third Committee of the 72nd General Assembly

2017-10-16 04:08

Mr. Chairman, Mr. High Commissioner,

China has listened carefully to the presentation by the High Commissioner of the work of the OHCHR. At present, efforts to promote and protect human rights at the global level still face many challenges. The OHCHR should play an active role in promoting the healthy development of the international human rights cause. We hope that the OHCHR will continue to make efforts in the following areas:

1. Strictly abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, refrain from interfering in member states’ internal affairs, and avoid making irresponsible commentsor acting beyond mandate.

2. Firmly resistpoliticization and double standards on human rights issues, renounce the practice of openly exerting pressure, respect and maintain the intergovernmental nature of the UN human rights mechanism and uphold the principle of member state leadership.

3. Fully respect the differences among countries in level of development, social system, and historical and cultural tradition, respect the path towards human rights development chosen by the people of a country, and support countries in strengthening dialogue and cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual respect.

4. Advance civil and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights and the right to development in a balanced manner, and increase input to the latter two areas which are the focus of attention of developing countries.

5. Pay attention to technical cooperation on human rights issues and provide constructive help in human rights capacity building to countries on the basis of full respect for their national conditions and their wishes.

6. Enhance transparency, and broadly seek the views of member states and reflect their perspectives in a comprehensive and balanced manner in formulating and implementing the biennial budget and management plan. The serious imbalance in geographical representation of the staff of the OHCHR must be resolved as soon as possible.

We believe that the work of the OHCHR has room for further improvement, and hope the High Commissioner will perform his duty impartially according to the mandate given by the General Assembly and play an acitive role in tackling global human rights challenges and promoting the healthy development of the international cause of human rights.

We would like to ask the High Commissioner:What specific measures will be taken to increase the representation of developing countries in the staffing of the OHCHR? How will the OHCHR invest more human and financial resources in the units responsible for economic, social and cultural rights, and the right to development?

Thank you Mr. Chairman.

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