The Core of the Chinese Democracy Is to Respect and Protect Human Rights——A Summary of the Academic Seminar on Chinese Democracy and Human Rights Protection

On March 26,2023,a Seminar on Chinese Democracy and Human Rights Protection was held,jointly organized by the National Human Rights Education and Training Base and the Human Rights Research Center of Central South University under the guidance of the Chinese Society for Human Rights Studies.The event adopted a combination of online and offline channels.Over 30 experts and scholars from universities,research institutions,and practical departments across the country participated in extensive discussions on“Theoretical and Practical Aspects of Chinese Democracy and Protection of Human Rights.”The seminar aimed to focused on the essence,characteristics,advantages,and human rights implications of Chinese democracy and interpreted the concept of Chinese democracy and the protection of human rights through academic and theoretical methods.

A “People-centered” Approach: The Chinese Deciphering of the Human Rights Theory

The contemporary Chinese human rights theory can be deciphered based on the "people-centered" concept. "Putting people in the center " is an approach to deve lopment,a concept of governance and a ruling orientation,and it is the idea shaping of the governing party,the ideological guideline for administrative organs and the principle of action for relevant personnel.The human rights system is thoughts,theories,systems and practice proposed by social groups and individuals to the social authority,especially the resource provider,around the basic demands for subsistence and development.Fundamentally speaking,the "people-centered" approach and the human rights system,though belonging to different political ethics and political philosophy fields,share many common points or similarities in their specific way of existence and operation process.Therefore,there is coherence between the "people-centered" approach and human rights,and there is systematic compatibility between the human rightsbased way of thinking and the people-centered governing concept.The two approaches share many commonalities in the implementation measures and actions,both requiring the integration of concepts,norms,systems and actions.The deciphering helps China to provide wisdom and marke contributions in enriching world human rights theories.

On the Commonness of “UN Core Human Rights Conventions”

As a main component of international human rights documents, the United Nations core human rights conventions show obvious formal and substance commonalities. The formal commonalities consist in their being adopted by UN General Assembly and their similarity in structure, subjects and systems. Their commonalities in substance include the similarity of contents, the homogeneity of the procedural mechanisms and the complementary nature of their normative interpretation. The commonalities among the UN’s core human rights treaties is the inevitable requirement of the universality and wholeness of human rights.

Human Rights Implications of Bringing the Building of a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects to a Successful Completion——From the perspective of the Developmentalism of Human Rights

The Developmentalism of Human Rights provides a broader perspective for a comprehensive and profound understanding of the human rights implications of bringing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects to a successful completion.From the perspective of the Developmentalism of Human Rights,bringing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects to a successful completion takes promoting the all-round development of human beings as the starting point and end point,which embodies the ultimate goal of human rights to guarantee everyone’s free,comprehensive and coordinated development;the specific goals and tasks set by bringing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects to a successful completion respond to the four means rights to subsistence,freedom,participation and equal protection.The realization of the goals and tasks of completing the process of building a moderately well-off society in all aspects marks a higher level of safeguarding the right to development,and also opens a new journey for all members of the society to develop freely,comprehensively and harmoniously.

The New Contribution to the Important Discourse on Human Rights by General Secretary xi Jinping

Under the background of the fact that human rights protection has become an important part of the socialist construction with Chinese characteristics in the new era, and with the international background of the strengthened trend of mainstreaming of human rights, Xi Jinping’s series of speeches and the 19 th CPC national Congress reports comprehensively explained the construction of human rights in China and the development of the international human rights. The important discourse on human rights by General Secretary Xi Jinping is people-centered: people’s yearning for a better life is our goal and reveals the source of human rights. Chinese dream is a dream of the country, of the nation, and of everyone in China. The close integration of individual and collective human rights points out that the state and people are important parts of collective human rights and it is an effective response to the "human rights over sovereignty" of Western countries. That there are not the best human rights, but the better ones; fighting for human rights is not always done, but always doing scientifically reveals the operational form of human rights. The right of survival and development is the primary human right; to attach importance to the right of peace conforms to the reality of our country and it has the support of the vast number of developing countries. Building a community with a shared future for human beings is a new vision for the development of the international human rights. only when the perfection and implementation of Constitution and law are paid attention to, and the democratization and legalization of the international human rights cause are promoted, can the guarantee be provided for the realization of human rights. The important discourse on human rights by General Secretary Xi Jinping is guided by Marxism, carries the communist party member’s original intention of serving people and is deeply rooted in the masses of the people. It inherits the theory of "benevolence" and "harmony" in Chinese culture,stands at the height of history and times, and points out the direction for the all-round development of Chinese people and the overall progress of society, and for the liberation of all mankind. This scientific theory is successfully guiding China’s human rights construction constantly towards new achievements and has had a profound and extensive impact on the international human rights cause.

Historical Conditions and Experiences Summary of China’s Human Rights Development Path Since the Founding of the PRC

Since the founding of the People’s republic of china,the path of human rights development in china has been based on national liberation and state sovereignty.The practice of human rights protection in the 30 years before the launch of reform and opening-up accumulated the conditions for the practice after the launch of reform and opening-up.reform and opening-up have provided the great motivation and opportunity for the development of human rights in china.against the background of international practice,china’s human rights development path,since the founding of the People’s republic of china,has been developed in the fight against human rights diplomacy that interferes in china’s internal affairs with human rights used as a political tool.it has gone through the process from evasion to passive counterattacks,and then actively participating and playing a leading role.The 70 years’development of human rights in china shows that human rights progress is highly dependent on the country’s construction of the rule of law,and the coordinated and comprehensive promotion of human rights protection policies promotes the overall progress of the human rights.in order to promote human rights with development,the transition from the top-down path to the combination of top-down and down-top path is suggested.

Study on the Joint Meeting Mechanism for the National Human Rights Action Plan

The joint meeting mechanism for the National Human Rights Action Plan(NHRAP)is a multi-faceted mechanism which unifies political,legislative,administrative,judicial and social sectors.It undertakes the responsibility of formulating,implementing,supervising and evaluating the NHRAP,promotes mutual learning,exchange and competition among member units in the protection of human rights.Over the ten years since it was established,it has proved to be a successful innovative mechanism for protecting human rights that is in line with China’s national conditions.In order to improve the operation of the joint meeting mechanism the NHRAP,it is necessary to establish a more effective coordination mechanism within the joint meeting mechanism,and to subdivide the monitoring and evaluation functions into three levels.

On the Relations Between National Security and Human Rights Defined in the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China

Counterterrorism,de-radicalization and anti-violence are the major tasks of the international community.As the arch enemy of human rights,terrorism destroys the constitutional order and endangers people’s lives,freedom and safety.It is the obligation of modern countries and the core value of legal states to safeguard human rights.Human rights should be effectively safeguarded under the premise of building a sound constitutional order and national security.public order and social stability foster a sound environment for the protection of human rights.In the face of terrorism’s severe threat to human rights,all countries are re-examining the order of human rights values and seeking mechanisms and procedures to balance National Security and Human Rights through their constitutions.The concepts of human rights and social order and the ways to explain the two are different due to different constitutional systems and cultural and religious traditions.However,they do have something in common,that is,counterterrorism and de-radicalization do not conflict with human rights protection.Efforts should be made to foster a view of human rights based on security and a view of security based on human rights,and a dynamic principle of proportionality established for counterterrorism and human rights protection,so endowing the traditional principle of proportionality with flexible,rich value connotation.

On the Normative Structure of International Human Rights Treaties Monitoring Mechanisms and Its Legal Challenges

The Charter bodies established under the United Nations Charter and the treaty bodies established on the basis of international human rights treaties constitute the two major means of supervising the implementation of international human rights treaties.The treaty bodies responsible for monitoring the implementation of international human right treaties have gradually formed a four-fold supervision system consisting of state reporting,inter-state complaints,individual complaints and inquiry procedures.These quasi-judicial procedures are responsible for overseeing the implementation of international human right treaties.The practice of treaty body procedures has profoundly affected the development of modern international human rights law and is promoting the improvement of international human right treaty monitoring mechanisms.But due to the constraints of international politics,economic structure and related historical conditions,treaty bodies still face severe challenges.The improvement of the four major procedures will promote the development of the international human rights cause.

Assessment of Human Rights Action Plans and Use of Its Results from a Global Perspective

Since the World Conference on Human Rights in 1993,more than a quarter of the participating countries have developed National Human Rights Action Plans(NHRAPs)to promote human rights.An assessment of the NHRAPs can help to understand the realities of the implementation,improve the quality of the follow-up plan,and improve the effectiveness of the plan in the implementation process.From the texts and practices of the NHRAPs,such an assessment includes the 'self-assessments' of the plans’ implementers,comprehensive assessments of inter-departmental committees(groups),and evaluations of policy objects,social organizations and human rights experts.The assessment methods include field research,qualitative evaluation,indicator measurement and process monitoring,among other things.The results of the assessment can promote the cohesion between the NHRAPs in different periods,promote the accumulation and transmission of the implementation experience of the plan,and promote the optimization and adjustment of related matters during the implementation period.

The Paradox of “Mobility” and the Crisis of the Modern Human Rights Concept

The idea of human rights and the dynamics of reality have been shaped by one another throughout history.Together,they develop the character of an era.Through the observation of the human rights crisis caused by the CoViD-19 pandemic,"mobility"can be derived from the connections of space,behavior and values as an analytical concept,identifying and investigating those historic events and their milestone impact on the idea of human rights.by further applying mobility in the deconstruction of modernity,one can reveal a paradox in the globalization process,and deduct and explain the crisis of modern human rights concepts.The solution to the crisis calls for the return of autonomy in modern state and society,especially the state’s independent and political guidance for citizens in balancing diverse values.

The Basic Direction of China's Human Rights Development

In 1991,the State Council Information office released the white paper Human Rights in China,which promoted China’s progress towards an era of protecting rights.The Chinese government has always believed that human rights development is compatible with economic development,and on this basis has continuously adjusted the level of human rights protection and practices.In terms of goals,China has developed from meeting people’s basic needs to delivering a better life;in terms of role positioning,China has transformed from an active participant to an active promoter;in terms of development mode,China has shifted from balanced development to coordinated advancement;in terms of discourse expression,China has changed from political discourse to law-based discourse.

Human Rights Education from the Perspective of the Holistic Development of the Children

Human rights education for primary and secondary school students is of great significance to their holistic development.At present,human rights education is actively carried out in China’s primary and secondary schools.Such human rights education includes classroom teaching based on the Ethics and the Rule of Law series of textbooks as well as developing hu man rights culture in campuses and educating students in human rights practices.Human rights education in primary and secondary schools has achieved certain results,but is as yet inade quate.In order to further improve human rights education for children,we should integrate hu man rights education with traditional Chinese culture,make better use of information technology and modem concepts of education and build a comprehensive and deep-seated human rights educa tion system.

On the Making and Significance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was the first common commitment of the international community to human rights. It demonstrated the belief and determination of humanity to maintain peace, democracy and human dignity. The process of formulating the Declaration was difficult. But in the spirit of cooperation,countries finally succeeded in reaching a consensus on human rights.The making of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights had great value and significance for promoting world peace and development,and it has had a far-reaching impact on the rule of law in international human rights and the development of the human rights legal systems in various countries. A re-examination and analysis of the process of formulating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights will help us understand the purposes and objectives of the Declaration and review the great value of the spirit of the Declaration to the world today.

Women's Liberation during the Initial Stage of P. R. China: A Human Rights Perspective

The liberation of women is the historical process in which women have striven for gender equality, freedom from oppression, confinement and discrimination, and are becoming the masters of the society and their own destinies. According to the diversity in history and the state, the process can be divided into a serial of correlated phases, with each phase focusing on different issues. Sexism order in China had remained stable in the traditional society for centuries through a set of institutions. Women had believed in a sexual order and the rules of propriety, which advocated that men were superior to women. After the People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949, women’s rights in politics, economy, society, and even family were recognized and secured by the Constitution and laws just as men’s during a short period. Women’s liberation in China has made a significant progress.

A Summary of the Seminar on “Construction of China's Human Rights Discourse System in the New Era”

A seminar on Construction of China’s human Rights discourse System in the new era was held in Central South University(CSU) on April 12, 2018. The event was sponsored by the China Society for human Rights Studies and the Publicity department of the hunan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, and hosted by the CSU Research Center for human Rights and the CSU School of law. nearly 70 experts and scholars in law, international relations, and communication from institutes of higher learning, research institutions, and practical work departments from around the country shared their opinions on three topics: Cultivation of a Chinese human Rights discourse System in the new era, Communication of the Chinese human Rights discourse in the new era, and Chinese human Rights discourse and International human Rights Governance in the new era. They conducted an in-depth discussion on enhancing human rights self-confidence, grasping the characteristics of the new era and the general development trend, consolidating consensus between domestic and overseas human rights discourses, and effectively carrying out international human rights exchanges. Fully reflecting the in-depth thinking and insights of attending experts and scholars on the matter, the seminar effectively promoted the development of research on Construction of China’s human rights discourse system in the new era.

On the View on Human Rights with Chinese Characteristics

Studying and practicing the view on human rights with Chinese characteristics is important for raising the awareness and improving the protection system for human rights in China. It is important for China to improve human rights on its own path and to promote the safeguard of human rights in the world. The paper offers an overview of the concepts, contents and features of China’s view on human rights.

The New Development of Human Rights “Jurisprudence” in Completing the Building a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects

Bringing the building a moderately prosperous society in all respects to successful completion is a great achievement in China’s modernization and contributes to the development of human rights in China and the world alike.The practice of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects has added new connotations to human rights theories,developing and outgrowing the traditional jurisprudence of human rights.This is reflected in the following aspects:the injection of the overall and equal human development has expanded the traditional western values of human rights based on human freedom and dignity;the injection of interpersonal mutual development,win-win cooperation and risk management and control has expanded the traditional western presupposition of social relations based on the social contract and civil society,and has thus expanded the social foundation of interpersonal cooperation,enriching the social concept of human rights.Guided by the concept of building a community with a shared future for human beings,the building a moderately prosperous society in all respects,enriching the human rights worldviews,has changed the worldviews of racism and zero-sum game among western developed countries and generated the new connotation that mankind should share the development opportunities and achievements.This has constituted a profound jurisprudence of human rights in China and formed an important discourse system in international human rights dialogue.

The Main Areas and Mechanism of China-Africa Cooperation from the Perspective of Human Rights——Based on the Analysis of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation

China-Africa cooperation has a long history and a solid foundation of mutual trust.Since the launch of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation(FOCAC)in 2000,China and African countries have conducted more comprehensive and institutionalized cooperation,and achieved a series of achievements which have attracted the attention of the international community.From the perspective of human rights protection,China-Africa cooperation is mainly concentrated in five areas,namely:poverty alleviation,medical and health,the ecological environment,conflict management,education and cultural communication.Based on the practices in each of these fields,it can be summarized that there are five mechanisms,i.e.,the approach mechanism,material support mechanism,capacitybuilding mechanism,system optimization mechanism,and mechanism for breakthroughs on key issues.The main areas and mechanism of China-Africa cooperation is a potential network structure and has become a powerful impetus to promote the joint building of a community of shared future between China and Africa.

The Contribution, Experience and Risk Control of Social Organizations’ Participation in Global Human Rights Governance

As the"third sector",social organizations are increasingly involved in human rights affairs in the era of governance through cooperation.They play an important role in the construction of a human rights community with the core of"common human values",and together with the government and other relevant subjects,they become the guarantors of human rights.By sorting out the main contributions of social organizations and successful experiences participating in human rights governance,it can be seen that they timely support relevant policies and laws and the participation through certain modes are successful experiences of social organizations in participating in human rights governance.Under the guarantee of the mechanism of effectiveness and risk control along the whole chain before,during and after the process,these contributions and experience will provide better Chinese experience and Chinese programs to promote global human rights governance and the progress of human rights cause in the world.