Comparative Analysis and Legal Reflection on the Boundaries of Human Rights Due Diligence in the Supply Chain

As global supply chains become increasingly lengthy and complex, human rights due diligence in the supply chain is becoming a controversial focal point in the accountability of multinational corporations. In recent years, legislative practices in the field of human rights due diligence have shown a trend from voluntary soft law toward mandatory hard law, and from corporate due diligence for their own operations towards extended due diligence for the entire supply chain. However, there is a divergence in national practices regarding the extent to which human rights due diligence should extend along the supply chain and the manner in which it should be incorporated into domestic legal policies. International soft law interpretations surrounding the boundaries of human rights due diligence in the supply chain are decentralized, posing risks of interpretation diversification, boundary blurring, and procedural formalization, as well as risks of misinterpretation and misuse. Meanwhile, some countries and regions are vigorously promoting mandatory legislation on human rights due diligence in the supply chain, which has profound implications for the stability of global supply chains and the international economic and trade order. Against this backdrop, it is crucial to explore the reasonable boundaries of human rights due diligence in the supply chain. Instead of applying a one-size-fits-all approach,the rationality of legal factors and the complexity of practical factors should be considered, applying context-specific measures based on the varying degrees of linkage between companies and negative human rights impacts in the supply chain. China should be particularly wary of the “chilling effect” of mandatory legislation on human rights due diligence in the supply chain, attaching great importance to national supply chain security and international supply chain competitiveness.Additionally,China should actively promote the implementation of voluntary human rights due diligence under the United Nations framework, and accelerate the enhancement of China's discourse power in the international rule-making process in the fields of industry and commerce as well as human rights.

Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind: International Law-based Principles and Approaches

Building a community with a shared future for mankind is an important guiding principle for China to address foreign affairs in this new era, and its profound connotations echo the spirit of international law. In the context of globalization, the ever-increasing common interests of the international community lay a material basis for building a community with a shared future for mankind. The doctrine of international community orientation, which is based on sovereignty and at the same time transcends sovereignty, forms an ideological basis for building a community with a shared future. Realizing international socialism and striking a balance between formalism and substantial justice is a moral prerequisite for building a community with a shared future. To reduce existing legal obstacles to international communications, the laws of all countries and regions exhibit a tendency towards legal assimilation, which is expected to be a domestic law approach to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. The establishment of international legal systems and the development of international organizations have vigorously promoted and maintained world peace yet failed to bring about perpetual peace. International law should attach more importance to the facilitation of human inner peace so as to realize perpetual peace. This is a new international law-based approach to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. China's peaceful rise, which is based on traditional Chinese culture and the basic principles of international law, is China's special contribution to this great cause.

The Application of International Law with Regard to Cyber War in Terms of the Tallinn Manual 2.0

The study of international law and regulation of cyber war in the Tallinn Manual 2.0 is questionable with regard to attribution, the use of force, the exercise of the right of self-defense, the application of the principle of distinction, and even the definition of‘cyber war'. The application of contemporary law of war to cyberspace, including the militarization of cyberspace itself, should be reviewed judiciously. The construction of a cyberspace community with a shared future may be a better way out.

Human Rights Education in the Perspective of International Human Rights Law

In a statement issued on the 2004 World Human Rights Day, Ms. Louse Arbour, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, described human rights education as a strategy for attainment of ＂human rights for all,＂ as a basic means for developing a universal culture of human rights, as an instrument for promoting equality and involvement of the people in decision-making under democratic mechanisms, and as an investment to prevent infringements upon human fights and to ward off conflicts of violence. It should be noted that so much importance attached by UN human rights organ to human rights education epitomizes the empowering characters of human rights education and the functions it performs in the global human rights system.

International Comparative Study on Education Laws of the Persons with Disabilities: An Observation on Regulations on the Education of Persons with Disabilities

The issue of education for people with disabilities has become of increasing concern. How can we effectively guarantee the basic right to education for persons with disabilities? Will the revised Regulation on Education for Persons with Disabilities meet their needs? This article takes the Regulation on Education for Persons with Disabilities as the core and compares it with the related special educational laws of the United States, Britain and Japan. The following conclusions were drawn from this study: In terms of educational concept, the three countries follow the concept of inclusive education, and pursue equity and educational justice. They not only pay attention to inclusive education but also focus on improving the quality of education for students with disabilities. All three countries focus on accommodating children with special needs, but each implements its programs in a different way. These practices can be used as reference for the development of a special needs education law in China.

Interpretation of the Concept of the Right to Internet Access from the Perspective of International Law

The advent of the internet era breeds a new concept, namely, the right to internet access. Many countries and international organizations, as well as individuals, are advocating or have already embodied it as a basic human right, thus enhancing the issues of whether it should be incorporated into the macro system of international human rights. By analyzing the facts, this article points out that the international concept of the right to internet access should be distinguished from its domestic concept, for there are no legal sources about the right to internet access for guidance as with some treaties in the current international law, despite its close relationship with some existing rights such as the freedom of speech, press and assembly, or the right of equality, or the right to development. And there is still a long time before the legal value and related responsibilities as well as the boundaries about the right to internet access becomes a consensus in the international society. Even though there is quite a possibility, this right hasn’t been embodied as part of international human rights, and thus hasn’t made a legal concept in international human right law.

Norms of International Law on Environmental Protection in Wartime: Application and Improvement

The enormous environmental damage caused by war makes it necessary for international law to balance the reality of military necessity with the need to ensure the survival of human beings and other life forms. International law provides a large number of norms for environmental protection in wartime, constituting a legal order including general and special norms of wartime law and wartime environmental protection obligations of international law in peacetime. It explicitly prohibits unreasonable environmental damage caused by military needs in wartime. Contrary to the cognition that there is no international norm to protect the environment in wartime,the key reason that causes the effect of environmental protection in wartime is not as good as expected lies in the different degrees of defects in the application of these complex norms. It is a more important and practical path choice to renew the general principles of wartime environmental protection, expand the scope of application of wartime laws and special environmental norms, strengthen the wartime application of international law in peacetime, and give full play to the maximum effectiveness of the existing normative system than to expect the new convention to accomplish the whole task at one stroke.

Modernization of International Humanitarian Law——The Origins and Evolution of the 1977 Additional Protocols to the 1949 Geneva Conventions

Regional wars and internal armed conflicts after the conclusion of the 1949 geneva conventions have presented new challenges to traditional international humanitarian law? To address those challenges, the international community concluded two additional protocols in 1977 to the 1949 geneva conventions? Those two protocols have unified the Hague Rules and the geneva Rules in the realm of traditional laws on wars, improved the protection of civilians,expanded the concept of armed conflicts and combatants, and developed special treaties applicable to non-international armed conflicts,reaffirming and developing the principles and rules of international humanitarian law worldwide, and promoting its modernization?

China Academy of Arbitration Law First Publishes China International Commercial Arbitration Annual Report

At the regular news press held by China Council for the Promotion of International Trade(CCPIT) held on September 22,China Academy of Arbitration Law officially published China International Commercial Arbitration Annual Report (2014).This is the first report released

The Rights of Persons Charged with Penal Offences to Access to Lawyers——A comparison between international and domestic laws

I. Getting help from lawyers and its realization according to international standards The right to defense for a person involving in a law suit is a universal human right. Article 11 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides： ＂Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.＂ This means （1） the right to defence is a basic human right due to all persons charged with a penal offence; （2） it is a basic requirement for the principle of presumption of innocence and fair trial; and （3） the realization of the fight needs practical and effective guarantees.

Law School of Nankai University Holds International Seminar on National Human Rights Action Plan

The Information Office of the State council issued the first National Human Rights Action Plan of China （NHRAP） （2009-2010） on April 13, 2009. The Nankai University participated in the drafting of this significant national document on human rights, with three teachers invited one after another to work at the panel of experts under the drafting committee. In cooperation with the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law （RWlHRHL） of Sweden, the Research Center for Human Rights under Law School of the university held an international seminar titled ＂Formulation and Implementation of NHRAP- Swedish Experience.＂

The Governance of Complementary Global Regimes Dealing With War and Crime:The Interaction Between the United Nations and the International Criminal Court

The establishment of an international judicial institution responsible to verify on a case-by-case basis when serious humanitarian crimes would fall within the competence of domestic judicial authorities,and when an international judiciary would be required is a visible accomplishment advocated for years.The important paradigm shift refers to governing the transitional challenges characterizing massive humanitarian escalations in conflict and post-conflict situations between the responsibility to protect civilians and the fight against the impunity of international crimes.In the current legislation of the UN the civilian protection duties are associated to the maintenance of peace and security and to the right of intervention in the domestic affairs of sovereign States for humanitarian reasons,extending further the reach of a criminal jurisdiction to punish the perpetrators.This has been the case in Darfur,Sudan,and Libya.Both these situations have been referred by the UN Security Council to the International Criminal Court(ICC).From an empirical perspective,it is still not demonstrated whether international criminal justice would have an impact on the maintenance and restoration of international peace and security,while its complementary role with global political regimes is in transition and deserves attention.The questions arising are as follow:how to rely on international criminal justice for the preservation,maintenance,and restoration of peace and security in extreme conflict zones,without solving the governance gaps during mass atrocity escalations characterized by jurisdictional referrals?Is this realistic considering the traditional concept of international security relying on old models of militarization,such as in the case of Libya?Are there political and strategic reasons for a postponement of accountability during such humanitarian interventions?In short,what kind of public authority is desired for the emerging regime of international criminal justice,and how would such tool function in the complexity of international governance?

The Challenges Posed by Autonomous Weapon Systems to Human Rights and Humanitarian Concerns and Relevant Legal Responses

By 2050,autonomous weapon systems may potentially replace humans as the main force on the battlefield,as per predictions.The development of autonomous weapon systems poses risks to human rights and humanitarian concerns and raises questions about how international law should regulate new technologies.From the perspectives of international human rights law and international humanitarian law,autonomous weapon systems present serious challenges in terms of invasiveness,indiscriminate killing,cruelty,and loss of control,which impact human rights and humanitarian principles.Against the backdrop of increased attention to the protection of human rights in China,it is necessary to clarify the existing regulatory framework and fundamental stance regarding autonomous weapon systems and proactively consider and propose countermeasures to address the risks associated with such systems.This will help prevent human rights and humanitarian violations and advance the timely resolution of this issue,which affects the future and destiny of humanity,ultimately achieving the noble goal of universal enjoyment of human rights.

The Concept of Human Rights in the Constitution and Its Functional Significance

To practice the constitutional provision that “The state respects and protects human rights”, we should clarify its connotation. The understanding of human rights is a natural requirement and the key. In domestic academia, human rights are considered natural rights and interpreted as “moral rights that everyone should enjoy as a human being”, hoping to provide theoretical support for the development of the system centered on the basic rights of citizens in China.Although it reveals the universal moral connotation of human rights, it does not cover the normative connotation of human rights as common international standards. Therefore, it is impossible to fully clarify the functional significance of the provision. It is conducive to scientifically clarifying the relationship between human rights and basic civil rights,better improving the institutional protection of human rights in China,and promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind to interpret human rights as common international standards that everyone should enjoy for human dignity based on the development of the international legal order under the Charter of the United Nations since the end of the World War Ⅱ.

Coordinate Rule of Law Efforts in Both Domestic and Foreign-Related Matters

Taking a coordinated approach to promoting the rule of law at home and in matters involving foreign parties stands as one of the essentials of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law.The profound essence of this concept is predominantly articulated through the dialectic nexus between the rule of law at home and in matters involving foreign parties and the foundational necessities and underlying principles for their coordinated advancement.This concept is intellectually rooted in the legal theory of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics,the theory of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics,modern progressive theories of international law,and the exemplary facets of traditional Chinese culture.It is aligned with contemporary trends and in harmony with the need to take a holistic approach to imperatives at home and abroad.This philosophy underscores the approach to building a human community with a shared future through the rule of law,guaranteeing the fruition of national strategic aspirations.This resonates with profound contemporary,integrative,international,and strategic significance.Presently,the focus should be on fostering the development of foreign-related rule of law,maintaining the correct equilibrium between the dyad of rule of law in domestic and foreign-related matters.It is imperative to augment strategic design and institutional construction in the realm of rule of law on issues related to foreign parties,step up research on and practical application of international law,and reinforce the cultivation of legal professionals in this area to take a coordinated approach to advance the rule of law at home and in matters involving foreign parties.

Quantifying and Simplifying the 1997 UNWC’s Guidelines to Mitigate Hegemony in Transboundary Watercourse Negotiations

The 1997 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses (UNWC) contains a negotiation framework for transboundary water rights. However, it is a subjective document open to a wide range of possibilities and interpretations. Water Rights Allocations (WRAs) as described by Dinar and Nigatu (2013) and Dinar and Tsur (2017) provide a limited number of quantifiable allocation possibilities based on the UNWC. It is suggested that this methodology streamlines the negotiation process and reduces the effects of hydro hegemony. These methodologies are explored and applied through a case study on the Orontes River Basin.

《万国公法》翻译底本问题新探

美国法学家亨利·惠顿所著Elements of International Law一书,自1836年出版后,受到学界好评,该书以多种语言在许多国家出版。1864年,在清朝官员的帮助下,中文版《万国公法》得以问世,翻译者为美国传教士丁韪良。围绕《万国公法》的翻译底本,学界聚讼不已,文章以历史史料为基础,认为其翻译底本应为1855年波士顿版或者1857年重印本。

Judicial Application of International Human Rights Treaties in China

Since the Chinese Constitution does not stipulate the status of international treaties in the domestic legal system,the question of whether the domestic court can apply international human rights treaties keeps obscure all the time.China’s official statement and academic opinions generally believe that the domestic court couldn’t resort to the human rights treaties.In recent years,however,several cases have come out involving direct reference to human rights treaties by the court.The following factors contribute together to the direct reference:the inward-looking nature of international human rights treaties,specific requirements of human rights treaties,and the possible institutional room in Chinas’s current legal system.Take the view off ulfilling international human rights obligations,the practice of judicial application should be fully affirmed.Nevertheless,it should also be noted that relevant practice is still in its infancy,there are some problems such as inconsistent understanding and non-standard application.From the perspective of top-level design,it is necessary to provide a normative basis for the practice of the court,so as to make the international human rights treaties play their due role.

Global Governance in Cyberspace: Process,Conflict and China’s Proposals

In recent years,problems such as cyber warfares,cyber espionages and cyber crimes have become global public nuisances and always challenge the authority of the sovereign states. Therefore,the governance of the derivative problems concerning the global cyberspace has become an issue of importance in the international law. To overcome these challenges,sovereign states begin to get involved in cyberspace and seek international cooperation,so as to promote the evolution of the international rule of law in cyberspace. Currently,the cyberspace is filled with contradictions and conflicts. The cyber hegemonic states monopolize basic resources for cyberspaces,and their liberalism of double standards is the best tool to maintain their centralized and dominant situations. Moreover,the differences on governance problems between different camps leads to the significant institutional supply shortage. Accordingly,as a responsible power,China should advocate the Chinese solution and wisdom so as to create the reform of global cyberspace governance system. Possible specific measures include clarifying the governance structure of sovereign state-orientation,adhering to the model of shared governance with multilateral approach and multi-party participation.

On the “International Law-Based International Order”

In recent years,some countries have advocated a“rules-based international order.”However,they have not explicitly defined the“rules”here as“international law”and thereupon elaborated on their view of the rules for the international order.In fact,a series of legal practices implemented by these countries indicate that what they pursue is largely a view of rules that prioritizes domestic law over international law and regional international law over universal international law,and that politicizes international law.This view of rules undermines the role of international law in the international order and violates the requirements of the times for improving global governance and promoting the establishment of a more just and reasonable international order.To correct the view of rules pursued by these countries through the advocacy of a“rules-based international order,”China proposes an“international law-based international order.”The view of rules embodied in the“international law-based international order”recognizes that international law based and centered on the UN Charter is the authoritative system of rules governing international relations,while not excluding the role in the international order of other rules that do not violate international law.