Human Rights in China?

During 1989, when an unprecedented criticism was faced by China of its brutal suppression of unarmed citizens, the scenario of human rights began to change. This was in the wake of Tiananmen Square protests. In spite of China defending the one-party system and allying with some other autocratic states, the criticism could not be stopped. In response to this, China had also engaged itself in ratifying a number of treaties on the subject. However, of late, the country under President Xi Jinping is playing more defensive and adopting a pro-human rights Posture against the UN. The model of socialism is promoted, however, with the amalgam of Chinese characteristics. Presently, the country advocates the protection of human rights while violating the principles of international human rights at the same time in the context of Tibet (World Report, 2019).

The inherent principles of international human rights include independent monitoring by external agencies, the participation of the civil society, and condemnation of human right violators in the state. In light of newly devised methods like the community of common density and win-win cooperation, China has managed to get affiliation of some of the most influential nations of the world which are destined to redefine sovereignty and human rights in the present century (Progress in Human Rights, n.d.).

Recent Developments

In recent years, China has shown impressive economic growth thereby reducing poverty in the country to a significant extent. The accelerated participation in global affairs has also helped the country to gain the confidence of several countries. In this purview, China believes that it has granted some of the most important, yet modest economic as well as social rights to its citizens. However, the equally important human rights including political, cultural, and civil rights have been dismissed as being inconvenient and disruptive. This inconvenience is posed to their one-party control system and those defending such rights are severely penalized. These penalties come in the form of detention, torture, denial of fundamental rights and privileges, and death (Woodman, S., 2015). This is evident from the mass internment of Muslims in militarized police patrols and indoctrination camps. The incidents are common in the Xinjiang province. In addition, the technological advancements in the field of artificial intelligence, facial recognition, and internet censorship imply dire consequences for the defenders of human rights (Kang, D., 2019). In such a scenario, civil rights and personal liberty which are enshrined in the international human rights law are not being respected.

China uses its expanding portfolio of loans, investments and international trade agreements for diplomatic gains. A confident stance in the UN, in this regard, poses an existential threat as the country seeks to subvert the international laws. By offering economic aid to undeveloped countries such as El Salvador, Burkina Faso, and the Dominican Republic, China has made remarkable diplomatic progress in isolating Taiwan. It is important to note that these developing countries did not recognize Beijing previously. Further to its diplomatic measures, China has partnered with Russia with an intention to cut budgetary resources with respect to the human right monitors of the UN. This has led to the impediment of UN peacekeeping missions and prohibition of the civil society from participation in the UN forums.

Influence of the West

The human right system of the UN has time and again responded to egregious violations by resorting to emergency sessions and dispatching independent bodies and investigators to probe violations such as document abuses and lapses in demand accountability (Nordlinger, J.., 2018) The countries in which such steps had been taken in the past include North Coria, Iran, Syria, Myanmar, Eritrea, and Cambodia. The United States, however, seems to be missing in action. Though the US had always been at the forefront of challenging the Chinese contention, the present times have seen it strolling away from the primary forum of the protection of human rights. Consequently, China and allies have filled the gap and aim at neutering the core precepts of international human rights. The United States earlier had been building coalitions of the democratic states to defend the international human right system. It also called out the repressive human rights record of China on a regular basis. However, the stance has weakened as it claims its membership has been rendered ineffective due to the involvement of countries like China, Cuba, Russia, and Venezuela.

Despite the weakened stance of the US and China's inexhaustible efforts to either convince or sway others, several democratic states remain committed to upholding international human rights. European countries including Germany, Sweden, France, and the Netherlands have been joining hands with Canada, Japan, Australia, and South Coria to hold the international human rights law. In a further development, states like Brazil, Argentina, Ghana, and Ukraine have built coalitions with the aforementioned countries with an intention to safeguard. Human rights and hold the line on key principles. Though China's assertive gambit on the said issue is not being favored the globe, the US needs to do its part so as to ensure proper funding of the building blocks of the system. The United Nations need to have a confident approach and moral clarity to defend the principles that China seeks to undermine.

References

Kang, D. (2019, January 28). Prominent Chinese human rights lawyer sentenced to 4 1/2 years. Retrieved from https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/prominent-chinese-human-rights-lawyer-sentenced-to-4-1-2-years-1.4271590

Nordlinger, J. (2018, May 10). A New Gulag in China. Retrieved from https://www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2018/05/28/china-uyghur-oppression-new-gulag/

Progress in Human Rights over the 40 Years of Reform and Opening Up in China. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-12/12/c_137668699.htm

Woodman, S. (2015). Segmented publics and the regulation of critical speech in China. Asian Studies Review, 39(1), 100-118.

World Report 2019: Rights Trends in China. (2019, January 17). Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/china-and-tibet