Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference
July 9, 2021
CCTV: The 47th session of the UN Human Rights Council is being held at Geneva. We noted that China made multiple statements criticizing severe human rights problems in Western countries. Some western countries claim that China’s opposition to megaphone diplomacy and interference in other countries’ internal affairs seem to have changed. Do you have any comment?
Wang Wenbin: China and other developing countries expressed their concerns over the human rights conditions in some western countries on multiple occasions during the 47th session of the UN Human Rights Council, urging them to take effective measures to resolve their own severe human rights problems and opposing their politicization of human rights issues and double standard. This is a call for justice.
I want to stress that it is these Western countries that pressure other countries and interfere in other countries’ internal affairs out of political motivations based on disinformation, rumors and lies. It is these Western countries that name and shame developing countries with finger-pointing and condescending lecturing. Such acts spoil the cooperative atmosphere at the UN Human Rights Council, and run counter to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. They claim to welcome criticism, but when China and other developing countries express legitimate concerns over their human rights situation, they feel very uncomfortable and even resistant. Moreover, they turn around and accuse China of “megaphone diplomacy” and interference in other countries’ internal affairs. This typical practice of double standard fully exposes their deeply-rooted arrogance, prejudice and hypocrisy.
Why do they turn a blind eye to some Western countries’ systematic discrimination against minority groups including people of Asian and African descent, violation of the rights of indigenous peoples, large-scale human rights abuse in immigrant detention centers, killing of innocent civilians in overseas military operations, casualties and displacement of civilians caused by military intervention, human rights violations by unilateral coercive measures, and other human rights problems? Why don’t they openly criticize their partners at the Human Rights Council? Why do they play dumb in the face of criticism from the international community? Whether they are the true defender of human rights or just politicizing human rights, the international community sees clearly.
China advises these Western countries to seriously respond to the concerns of the international community, deeply reflect on their own deplorable human rights records, honestly face up to and solve their own human rights problems. If these countries still believe that they can go on wantonly interfering in other countries’ internal affairs under the pretext of human rights and harming their interests without paying any price, they should think again.
AFP: I have two questions. The first one, the European Parliament passed a resolution yesterday calling for EU officials to boycott the Beijing Winter Olympics over human rights concerns in Hong Kong and Xinjiang. What’s the foreign ministry’s response to this? The second question, what’s China response to the situation surrounding the assassination of Haiti’s President, including the announcement by Taiwan that 11 suspected assassins have been arrested on its embassy grounds?
Wang Wenbin: On your first question, what you mentioned is not worth any attention.
On your second question, we noted relevant reports. I want to stress that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China. The government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China.
With regard to the situation in Haiti, we hope Haiti can restore social stability at an early date, achieve sound economic development and safeguard people’s wellbeing.
