China's human rights accomplishments significant, says expert

This aerial photo taken on July 23, 2023 shows a view of a relocation site for Kucong people in Zhemi Township, Jinping County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

Criticism and hostile actions from western nations only demonstrate their inconsistent stance on human rights matters, Lopez said.

GENEVA, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- China has made significant progress in eradicating absolute poverty, and has developed its own approach to human rights advancement, a consultant from the International Association for Human Rights and Social Development (AIDHDES) said this week.

Criticism and hostile actions from western nations only demonstrate their inconsistent stance on human rights matters, David Lopez told Xinhua in an interview.

China took part in the fourth round of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) conducted by the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council on Tuesday in Geneva, Switzerland. Following the review, Lopez commended China's advancements in the field of human rights.

"I visited China for the first time in April 2023, and I was in Beijing, Hangzhou, Chongqing, Yiwu, Shenyang. I was really impressed by the development of the country." Lopez said.

A man collects honey at Shibadong Village in Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province, Nov. 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

China's significant endeavors and successful outcomes in eliminating extreme poverty are a clear demonstration of the country's current human rights accomplishments, he said.

Lopez also acknowledged that certain countries have deficiencies in the realm of human rights. "There are problems on the borders with Mexico and the United States. There are problems in New York, there are problems in Paris." However, it is paradoxical that western nations have engaged in numerous hostile attacks and demonization tactics when dealing with China, he noted.

"In the western countries, unfortunately, people don't take the time to understand the culture and the trajectory of a country like China," he said.

Participants attend the Forum on Global Human Rights Governance in Beijing, capital of China, June 14, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

China has been unjustly targeted by fabricated human rights allegations originating from western sources, he said, adding that "it's not China that has more than 5,000 military bases around the world."

Lopez asserted that the United States employs military and economic methods to intervene in other nations, while simultaneously undermining China's credibility in the realm of human rights. This is a clear instance of double standards, he said, referring to the ongoing situations in Afghanistan and Libya.

Regarding the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Lopez said that the United States has contributed to the worsening of human rights conditions in Gaza, particularly in relation to displaced children.

A girl walks past destroyed buildings at Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, on Jan. 18, 2024. (Photo by Abdul Rahman Salama/Xinhua)

"The United States promoted that. They (said) Israel has the right to defend itself, so it can use aggressive activity to kill and to promote this genocide in Palestine," he said.

However, western media appears apathetic towards these events, he told Xinhua.