International symposium on digital-era human rights held in Malaysia

The International Symposium on Human Rights Protection in Digital Era took place on Friday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The event brought together more than 20 participants, including scholars from think tanks, representatives of social organizations and media from both China and Malaysia specializing in the field of human rights.

Participants focused on in-depth discussions and consensus-building around key topics such as the opportunities and challenges that digital technological transformations bring to human rights protection, new issues arising from digital development, fundamental principles of human rights protection in the digital era and the concept of digital human rights as a new generation of human rights.

The Chinese side stated that we are currently in an era of profound change driven by emerging information technologies. Promoting the synchronous advancement of human rights protection alongside digital development has evolved from an ethical initiative into an urgent global human rights governance task.

China emphasized that meeting people's aspirations for a better life should be the ultimate goal of technological innovation. While embracing technological progress, the governance of digital technologies must uphold the principle that ensuring people's well-being represents the highest realization of human rights.

The Malaysian side noted that, against the backdrop of rising global uncertainties, protecting human rights in the digital era has become an extremely important issue. Given differences in historical backgrounds, political and economic systems, and social and cultural traditions among countries, Malaysia and the broader East Asian region should have the autonomy to choose a human rights development path distinct from the West and aligned with their own national conditions.

In this process, all parties should adhere to mutual respect,  practice inclusive learning and jointly promote the healthy development of human rights in the region through enhanced communication and pragmatic cooperation.