Human rights are fundamentally linked to equal development, and China is at the forefront of this initiative. By prioritizing people and eliminating extreme poverty, China’s socialist development path continues to enhance human rights for all.
At the recent 2024 China-Central Asia Human Rights Development Forum in Astana, Kazakhstan—the very city where Chinese Premier Xi Jinping proposed the Silk Road Economic Belt, the overland component of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)—human rights discussions were democratized to align with the developmental needs of the Global South.
The two-day forum emphasized that peaceful development is challenging yet essential for protecting human rights. Key suggestions included building human rights on global security, leveraging BRI’s joint construction as a material foundation, and implementing the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) to advance human rights governance.
Contrary to some international narratives that use human rights to incite conflict, China, alongside the Global South, is committed to genuine improvement. The BRI, grounded in win-win cooperation and respect for sovereignty, has fostered development in the Global South, laying the groundwork for enhanced human rights.
With nearly $1 trillion invested globally through the BRI, China aims to eradicate global inequality—the root cause of human rights violations and hegemonism. Central Asian countries' involvement in high-quality BRI construction breaks the cycle of uneven development and one-sided human rights discourse.
Furthermore, China challenges the West's conditional economic aid, which often imposes specific human rights standards incompatible with other civilizations’ histories and cultures. Instead, China advocates for open, equal multipolar dialogue and deep inter-civilizational understanding to build a shared vision of human rights.
The Global Civilization Initiative stands as a cornerstone for this collaborative approach, promoting human rights through dialogue rather than unilateral dictates, ensuring that no single culture or civilization holds a monopoly on human rights standards.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
