On July 5, United Nations Association of China (UNA-China) hosted an online side-event of the 50th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council entitled Strengthen Global Human Rights Governance, Promote the Common Values of Humanity. Mr. WANG Chao, President of Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs and President of UNA-China addressed the opening session.  Director of the Center on China Studies of the International Relations Institute of National University of La Plata Ms. Maria Francesca Staiano, Lecturer of Department of Political Science and Public Administration, University of Buea Mr. Hassan Njifon Njoya, Research Fellow of Human Rights Center at the Law School, Central South University, Member of the European Academy of Science and Arts Mr. Perter Herrman, Lecturer of Applied Social Studies, University College Cork, Ireland Mr. Féilim Ó hAdhmaill, Member of United Nations Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, Former Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania and Cyprus Amb. Liu Xinsheng, Professor at the School of Law, Executive Director of the Human Rights Center, Central South University Mr. Mao Junxiang, Professor of Jurisprudence, Director of Wuhan University Institute for Human Rights Studies Mr. Zhang Wanhong, Executive Director of Center for International Communications, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies Ms. Li Xin attended the meeting and delivered keynote speeches. Vice-President and Director-General of UNA-China Ms. HU Wenli chaired the meeting and made concluding remarks.  
In his opening speech, President WANG Chao said that human rights are the symbol of the progress of human civilization. Different civilizations have different understandings of human rights. It is the common pursuit of human society to protect human life, value and dignity and realize human rights for all. In recent years, under the influence of the changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, hegemonism, racism, protectionism and narrow nationalism have risen, poverty and inequality have intensified, double standards have prevailed, and global human rights governance has suffered a serious impact. The promotion and protection of human rights is a common cause of all countries, which requires the international community to work together to explore and move forward. We should uphold the common human values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom, adhere to the concepts of equality, mutual trust, inclusiveness, mutual learning, win-win cooperation and common development, and promote the development of global human rights governance towards a more fair, just, reasonable and inclusive direction.


President WANG Chao stressed that all countries should put the people first, take the interests of the people as the starting point and foothold, focus on improving people's livelihood, ensure that the fruits of development are shared by the people, constantly enhance people's sense of happiness, gain and security, and achieve people's all-round development. We should support each country to explore its own human rights development path based on its own reality and the needs of its people. For developing countries, the rights to life and development are the fundamental human rights. We should pay more attention to major issues such as the gap between the rich and the poor and the development gap, and the people of less developed countries and regions, ensuring that all countries and nations in the world enjoy equal development opportunities and rights. We should uphold true multilateralism and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. Global human rights governance should be consulted by all countries, and the achievements should be shared by all peoples. The United Nations should be problem - oriented and result- oriented and advance its work in the three major areas of security, development and human rights in a balanced manner. The Human Rights Council and other United Nations bodies should uphold the principles of impartiality, objectivity and non-selectivity to promote human rights exchanges and cooperation among countries, as well as the two categories of human rights and the right to development in a balanced manner. Countries should carry out dialogue and exchanges on human rights issues on the equal footing, enhance mutual understanding and trust, build consensus and work together to address the common challenges facing mankind. Civil society should play active role in promoting trust and understanding of other civilizations on the basis of equality and inclusiveness, and jointly advance the development of human rights.
Wang Chao said that over the years, China has combined the principle of universality of human rights with China's reality, adhered to the people-centered development thought, and insisted that the rights to life and development are the primary human rights. It has constantly promoted economic and social development, improved the well-being of the people, improved social fairness and justice, and strengthened the protection of human rights by law. Efforts have been made to promote the comprehensive and coordinated development of economic, social and cultural rights and civil and political rights, significantly improving the protection of human rights. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China has put people and life first, protecting people's lives and health to the greatest extent. Meanwhile, China has actively involved in global human rights governance, contributing to and providing Chinese solutions to the world’s human rights cause and won the wide support of welcome of the international community, developing countries in particular. China will continue to follow the path of human rights development in line with its national conditions, deeply involve in global human rights governance, practice true multilateralism, actively carry out human rights dialogue and cooperation with all parties on the basis of equality and mutual respect, expand consensus, learn from each other, and jointly advance the healthy development of the global human rights and build a community with a shared future for mankind.

The participants said the international community should respect the diversity of human rights development and oppose one single model and criteria. Horizontally, factors such as country, nationality, religious background and development stage are the soil and foundation for the emergence and development of human rights  and human rights governance. Vertically, the world today is facing  new challenges, which put forward new requirements for the development of human rights. We must conform to the trend of the times and explore a human rights development path suitable for the national conditions. We should respect human rights and dignity for all and promote civil and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights and the right to development on an equal footing. People's life, health and development are the highest values, and no country, nation or group should be left behind.  
At present, the challenges faced by developing countries are particularly severe, and the gap with the developed countries has further widened. Only through comprehensive measures and systematic promotion can we promote common development and realize the enjoyment of human rights by all. We should abide by the international rule of law, adhere to multilateralism, and oppose unilateralism, hegemonic politics, and the politicization of human rights. Global human rights governance should follow the principles of international law established by the Charter of the United Nations, such as sovereign equality and non-interference in internal affairs. Some western countries abuse the international human rights mechanism and exercise bullying in the name of human rights, which is an act of undermining the international rule of law and  human rights governance. We should strengthen unity and uphold  the common values of all mankind and oppose ideological confrontation. Global human rights governance should become a propeller to seek common development and progress, rather than a arena for political manipulation and struggle. Unity, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation are not only the spirit of the United Nations, but also the experience of China's human rights protection. The common value of all mankind is the greatest common divisor of human value. It transcends differences among nations, civilizations and religions and can serve as a bridge to unite all. China's human rights cause has made great progress, it has made contributions to global human rights governance. China strives to run its own affairs well, adheres to the people-centered principle and promotes human rights through development, and has successfully blazed a human rights development path that conforms to the trend of the times and suits its national conditions. China adheres to true multilateralism, actively participates in global human rights governance and international exchanges and cooperation, and injects hope and momentum into the global human rights cause with its own experience.