China has called on the international community to respect Sri Lanka’s sovereign right to determine its own path in human rights development, urging an end to external political pressure and intervention in the country’s internal affairs.
Speaking at the 60th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, China’s representative stressed that addressing human rights issues should be constructive, cooperative, and rooted in dialogue. “China urges relevant countries to respect the Sri Lankan people’s own choice of the human rights development path, abandon intervention in internal affairs and political pressure, and return to the right track of dialogue and cooperation,” the representative said.
China also acknowledged the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) report on Sri Lanka and commended recent initiatives by the government to promote and protect human rights. These include the Clean Sri Lanka Project, anti-corruption measures, the establishment of an independent public prosecutor’s office, and steps toward accountability for the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks and other emblematic cases.
Reaffirming its support, China said it will continue to back Sri Lanka’s efforts to maintain political stability, focus on economic development, and pursue autonomous and sustainable progress. “Such efforts are vital to improving the living standards of the Sri Lankan people,” the representative noted.
China reiterated its opposition to the politicization of human rights, calling instead for impartial and objective engagement within the Human Rights Council.
