Editor's note: Qiao Basheng, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is a researcher at the Research Center for External Publicity and Cultural Security, the School of National Security and the Human Rights Research Center, Northwest University of Political Science and Law. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily those of CGTN.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a congratulatory letter to the Forum on Global Human Rights Governance that is being held in Beijing from June 14 to 15.

In 1993, the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (VDPA) on the theme of equality, cooperation and development was adopted. As a landmark human rights document in the history of mankind, the VDPA put forward the principle of equality among countries, expressed the concept of global development and cooperation, and promoted the reform of global human rights governance. Over the past 30 years, the VDPA has played an important role in global human rights governance, providing an important reference for the international community to reach a consensus in the field of human rights, and laying the foundation for equality, cooperation and development of all mankind.

However, at present, the world is changing in an unprecedented way, and the international community is experiencing rare multiple risks and challenges. In the face of new situations and new tasks, we must seriously consider: How to better promote and protect human rights? How to strengthen and improve global human rights governance?

It's necessary to protect human rights with security, respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, follow the path of peaceful development together, implement Global Security Initiative (GSI), and create a peaceful environment for the realization of human rights.

Development is the foundation of security, and security is the guarantee of development. China follows a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and advocates a new security path featuring dialogue rather than confrontation, partnership rather than alliance, and win-win cooperation rather than a zero-sum mentality.

As development and security are of equal importance, it's important for human society to strive to eliminate the soil that breeds insecurity, and explore root causes and long-term ways to achieve sustainable security.

China, therefore, has taken an active part in the formulation of the New Agenda for Peace and the UN peacekeeping operations, promoted coordination and positive interaction among countries, firmly opposed the nuclear war, promoted political settlement of international disputes, and provided solutions for alleviating international conflicts and solving the security dilemma of mankind.

Human rights should be promoted through development, implementation of the Global Development Initiative, making development more comprehensive, inclusive and sustainable, and ensuring that people of all countries enjoy human rights fairly. We respect the choice of countries to follow a path of human rights development that suits their actual national conditions as there is no one-size-fits-all model of human rights protection in the world.

Besides, human rights should be promoted through cooperation, implementation of the Global Civilization Initiative, and strengthening exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. To promote the sound development of the international human rights cause, it's essential to uphold international fairness and justice.

Human rights, however, must not become a tool for any country to pursue geopolitical strategies or impose ideology on other countries. It should be the basis for dialogue among civilizations and cultures on an equal footing. Only by upholding the principles of fairness, objectivity, non-selectivity and non-politicization can we truly promote the sound operation of the UN human rights system and inject positive energy into the development course of international human rights. Maintaining international peace and security and promoting global development and prosperity should be the common pursuit of all countries in the world.

As President Xi pointed out in the congratulatory letter, "China is ready to work with the international community to implement the spirit of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, promote the development of global human rights governance in a more fair, just, reasonable and inclusive direction, promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and build a better world."

Only by adhering to the principle of "practicing tolerance and living in harmony with each other as good neighbors," advocated in the UN Charter, and jointly promoting global and regional development and security can mankind usher in a better future.

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