A seminar focusing on a book of Xi Jinping's discourses on respecting and safeguarding human rights has concluded in Beijing.

The book, featuring nine themes, includes 335 discourses extracted from over 160 reports, speeches, congratulatory letters and instructions by Xi, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, from November 15, 2012 to October 30, 2021.

The book compiles excerpts of President Xi's theories on human rights. In particular, survival and development rights are framed as top priorities for China to achieve common prosperity.

Xi's discourses on human rights point the way for the advancement of China's human rights cause in the new era, and offer Chinese wisdom and solutions to promote the global cause of human rights, said Jiang Jianguo, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, at the event on Tuesday.

The seminar gathered scholars, human rights experts as well as representatives of readers from multiple fields from China and abroad.

Some readers believe the book is timely, as the concept of human rights has been politicized so much and people need some tangible discourse in fighting against COVID-19.

"We see how Chinese people's lives have improved, how even during COVID-19, people were prioritized; their betterment, their life was prioritized. We see that this journey in China is consistent. It has a philosophy behind it, and that philosophy is something the world can learn immensely from," said Zoon Ahmed Khan, a research fellow at Center for China and Globalization.

"President Xi Jinping government sent medical teams to the world. Many countries got the real support on how the pandemic can be controlled," said Dr. Misbahul Ferdous from Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College.

China proposes to build a shared future for mankind. To achieve this, China is devoted to addressing climate change, fighting terrorism and participating in global governance. Through the Belt and Road Initiative, China is helping countries improve their economies and achieve prosperity. Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, China promised to provide vaccines as global public goods. All these actions aptly reflect China's understanding of human rights.

(With input from Xinhua)

(Cover: A seminar focusing on a book of Xi Jinping's discourses on respecting and safeguarding human rights is held in Beijing, China, December 28, 2021. /Chinese State Council Information Office)