A Chinese delegation, comprised of researchers, scientists, and experts, is attending the UN Human Rights Council's 58th session in Geneva, Switzerland to discuss human rights advancements in China and other countries in the world.
At the UN offices in Geneva, the Chinese delegation is also attending human rights sessions on disabilities, children, terrorism and many other issues.
Suolang Zhuoma, an associate researcher from the Institute of Religious Studies under the China Tibetology Research Center, called for urgent and more effective global actions to protect children from violence and to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 16, or SDG 16, which was established by the United Nations in 2015 to promote peace, justice and inclusive institutions.
"Achieving SDG 16 requires sustaining it as a systemic challenge. China has built a safety net with reporting and monitoring systems and monitor sector collaboration for legal, medical and culture support," she said.
The delegation also includes two Chinese non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the China Foundation for Human Rights Development and the China Society for Human Rights Studies.
"I think nowadays when we're discussing about the human rights issues, it's very important to let the civil society to involve in these kinds of discussions. When the decision is making, it's very important to let the voice from this civil society or the NGOs also to be heard," said Da Lu, associate professor of law at the School of Human Rights with Southwest University of Political Science and Law.
Some members of the delegation made speeches at main sessions. They talked about the human rights developments in China, including in the regions of Xizang and Xinjiang.
"For the legal system, we have already established a really comprehensive legal system. And for the practical part, for example, there are more than 4,000 women's and children's protection centers [which] have been established all over the Xinjiang region to give them more convenient services, and for the economic part, women have equal access to the job market," said Niluobaier Aierti, a lecturer of the School of Media and Communication under Xinjiang University of Arts.
The Chinese delegation is also taking an active part in some of the discussions and attending side events. One event on advancing women's rights for an equitable and sustainable future saw speakers from China, Cuba and Switzerland. The Chinese delegation says it is a great opportunity to exchange ideas and to network with other experts.
The 58th regular session of the Human Rights Council is taking place in Geneva from February 24 to April 4.
Chinese delegation shares China's human rights developments at UN session in Geneva
The separatist action plan recently unveiled by Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te has revealed his "false democracy, true dictatorship" nature, which could push Taiwan to the brink of peril, according to a commentary of The Real Point published on Saturday.
An edited English version of the commentary is as follows:
In a recent speech, Lai introduced a separatist action plan, falsely asserting that "Taiwan is a sovereign and independent democratic country." He outlined 17 strategies to counter what he claims are "five major threats" from the mainland, aiming to sever cross-Strait exchanges and push Taiwan back into the fearful martial law era of the past century.
Lai repeatedly waves the banner of "democracy" to mislead the public, but this time he inadvertently exposed his true nature, revealing to the world his trick of "false democracy, true dictatorship."
Democracy is meant to serve the rights of the people, not the other way around. The mainstream public opinion in Taiwan favors peace, development, communication, and cooperation.
According to a 2024 annual survey on cross-Strait relations conducted by Taiwan's media, 87 percent of people on the island believe in the necessity of maintaining communication across the Strait.
At the recent annual session of the 14th National People's Congress in Beijing, many NPC deputies from the Taiwan region expressed optimism about the opportunities in the mainland, emphasizing the bright prospects for Taiwan's youth.
However, since Lai's inauguration as Taiwan leader last May, he has used a range of administrative, judicial, and media tools to block cross-Strait exchanges.
The Lai-led Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities have resisted and delayed the group tours to Taiwan by residents of Fujian Province and Shanghai, while also banning collaborations between Taiwan and ten mainland universities, drawing widespread criticism on the island.
The DPP authorities have restricted civil society groups in Taiwan from visiting the mainland, interfered with Taiwan residents' access to official documents from the mainland, implemented "risk management" protocols for mainland visitors to Taiwan, and introduced strict "guidance and management" over Taiwan's entertainment industry professionals working in the mainland.
The Lai-led authorities have been pushing for a "decoupling" of ties between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, running counter to the will of Taiwan residents.
Lai's so-called "17 strategies" also include reinstating military tribunals and purging dissents within the military under the pretext of "countering infiltration." His true purpose, however, is to create a "green cage" for Taiwan residents and to establish military authoritarianism.
In Taiwan, the color green is strongly associated with the DPP, while blue is linked to the Kuomintang (KMT).
The DPP authorities also spare no effort in suppressing those who promote cross-Strait exchanges, even framing charges against them, which is typically anti-democratic and anti-liberal.
Some commentators on the island argue that Lai is willing to let cross-Strait relations regress back into an icy state and even push Taiwan closer to the brink of war, all to maintain his power and pursue selfish political gains.
Taiwan residents are increasingly seeing through Lai's intentions. In his pursuit of power, he has employed judicial methods to target dissenters within his own party and initiated political witch hunts against members of opposition parties.
In January this year, the DPP launched a "mass recall" campaign against KMT legislators, aiming to overturn the DPP's minority status in the island's legislative body. Despite polls indicating that 70 percent of respondents saw no need for such actions, the DPP pressed forward.
The Lai-led authorities try to reverse the course of history while infringing upon the freedoms and human rights of the people in Taiwan and maliciously attempting to tether them to the war chariot of succession, treating them as "cannon fodder". Where do they get the audacity to preach about democracy and boast that Taiwan is a "key link in the global democratic supply chain"?
Lai's "false democracy, true dictatorship" act fools neither Taiwan residents nor the international community. His separatist action plan will ultimately be crushed by the wheels of history.
Lai Ching-te's separatist plan exposes his 'false democracy, true dictatorship' nature: commentary
