The U.S. manipulation of human rights issues to smear and attack other countries in disregard of its own notorious record of human rights abuses only exposes American double standards, which will accelerate the decline of the U.S. hegemony, said a China Media Group (CMG) commentary published on Wednesday.
An edited English-language version of the commentary is as follows:
As the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) had progressed for a month as of Wednesday, Alena Douhan, the UN Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures, said in a report that since the unilateral sanctions imposed by the U.S. and some other countries on China violate international law and have a negative impact on Chinese people's human rights, China is welcome to respond through administrative, legal and other necessary means.
Meanwhile, nearly 100 countries expressed their support for China's positions during the session, stressing that affairs related to Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Xizang are totally China's internal affairs and the U.S. has no right to interfere in them.
Arbitrarily playing the "human rights card" against other countries in disregard of its own track records of human rights violations has become an important means for the U.S. to suppress other countries and maintain its hegemony.
This not only undermines the basic norms governing international relations, but also seriously affects global political stability and economic development.
Fabrication of cases of human rights violations is the first tool used by the U.S. to interfere in other countries' internal affairs.
In recent years, the U.S. has expanded its economic sanctions on Venezuela by the excuse of human rights issues, which worsens the Latin American country's economic situation and humanitarian crisis. The Wall Street Journal disclosed that the U.S. also publicly supports Venezuelan opposition leaders for the purpose of overthrowing the Maduro government.
The U.S. also concocts false reports to smear and suppress other countries. A typical example is the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices issued by the U.S. Department of State, which are full of lies and vilifications.
Using domestic law to exercise "long-arm jurisdiction" is another important means for the U.S. to suppress other countries. Since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022, the U.S. has sanctioned a number of Russian officials and companies under its domestic law to weaken Russia and maintain its hegemony.
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play an important role in the U.S. "human rights warfare". The two million NGOs in the country actually have various kinds of connections with the American government despite their claim of being independent, and many of them are actually funded by the U.S. government.
Some U.S. NGOs, in the name of "democracy" and "human rights", secretly incite separatist activities and riots, plot political crises, fabricate lies and rumors, and conduct value infiltrations around the world.
The most active one is the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), which consistently receives funding from the White House and the U.S. Congress. Others include "Human Rights Watch", "Freedom House" and "Open Society Foundations".
The U.S. even initiates human rights attacks against other countries via multilateral mechanisms, with the United Nations being a major launch pad.
While the U.S. frequently pushes forward various country-specific resolutions under the pretext of human rights, it often cold-bloodedly obstructs the pass of other resolutions on addressing pressing humanitarian issues.
For example, the U.S. has abused its veto power at UN Security Council meetings on a ceasefire draft resolution for Gaza, which has exacerbated and prolonged the suffering of Palestinians under continuous Israeli attacks.
The intensification of efforts by the U.S. to play the "human rights card" actually heralds the decline of its hegemony.
In a multi-polar world, the U.S. finds it increasingly hard to retain its global leadership. Therefore, the current U.S. administration tries to instigate a new Cold War and trigger divisions and confrontations between different countries via the so-called "value-based diplomacy" and by holding the "Summit for Democracy".
The U.S. wants to be a judge on other countries' human rights situation despite its own notorious record of human rights abuses, which not only exposes its double standards, but seriously erodes the foundation of global human rights governance.
This will only receive strong opposition from other countries and accelerate the decline of American hegemony.
U.S. "human rights warfare" to accelerate decline of American hegemony: commentary
U.S. "human rights warfare" to accelerate decline of American hegemony: commentary
U.S. "human rights warfare" to accelerate decline of American hegemony: commentary
