The Foreign Ministry made these statements on the occasion of Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s participation in the high-level segment of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Spokeswoman Mao Ning noted Beijing’s call for the international community to protect all ethnic groups in a fair, equitable and effective manner.

“We must put people first. Safeguarding people’s interests should be the basis and goal of the cause of human rights,” Mao said when quoting the head of Chinese diplomacy.

She also urged to remain open and inclusive, respect the diversity of the world’s civilizations and the freedom of countries to choose their path to the development of human rights independently.

“Consensus should be built through dialogue, and mutual learning should be enhanced through exchanges,” she added.

Mao reiterated that UN human rights bodies should serve as platforms for constructive engagement and cooperation of all parties, “rather than a battleground for group politics or bloc confrontation.”

China has repeatedly stressed that the people’s happy life is the greatest human right, and advocated constructive and non-politicized exchange on this issue.

Spokeswoman Mao Ning recently pointed out that the freedoms of all ethnic groups are fully protected, including those related to religious beliefs and the use of typical languages.

“Facts have long refuted the so-called genocide and forced labor as heinous lies,” she said in reference to accusations by Western countries about alleged human rights violation in the Xinjiang and Xizang regions.

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