On September 10, 2024, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, hosted the inaugural China-Latin America Human Rights Roundtable, revolving around the theme of “Civilizational Diversity and the Pathways to Achieving Human Rights.” In our ever-evolving world marked by unprecedented changes, exploring various approaches to human rights can help diverse cultures find common ground.
Recently, we had the privilege of interviewing Qi Yanping, an executive council member of the China Human Rights Research Association, chair professor at the School of Law at Beijing Institute of Technology, and director of the Center for Science and Technology Human Rights Research. We explored the influence of Chinese notions of human rights on global human rights development.
**Interviewer**: With the increasing polarization and social division in today’s world, how do you perceive the current landscape of human rights civilization? Can you outline the primary differences between Chinese and Western human rights concepts?
**Qi Yanping**: Historically, many nations have looked to Western human rights as a benchmark, treating it as an ideal model for global human rights civilization. This approach regards Western human rights as the exclusive standard, which has led to ongoing debates and stark confrontations between countries with differing historical, cultural, and ideological backgrounds.
In reality, Western human rights are just one aspect of a broader global human rights framework. This doesn’t signify the “end of history” nor restrict the potential for human rights advancements worldwide. The realm of human rights is multipolar and showcases diverse interpretations rather than a single, predetermined notion. Both Western and Eastern viewpoints reflect universal human rights values, each adapted to their unique contexts.
Chinese concepts of human rights have developed with inspiration from Western ideals but do not merely replicate them. Fundamentally, Chinese human rights are rooted in the country’s historical and cultural traditions as well as the practical needs of its people—they are grounded, pragmatic, and informed by historical context.
Today, Chinese human rights emphasize the ethical principle that “individual rights stem from responsibilities to others,” placing ethical obligations at the forefront. In Chinese culture, existence is viewed through the lens of relationships, meaning that “relationships” take precedence over “self.” My identity is shaped by my connections, which inherently define my responsibilities to others. Hence, rather than focusing solely on individual rights, we recognize the importance of responsibility.
Driven by historical and cultural motivations and informed by practical experiences, this perspective not only influences behavioral norms within China but also acts as a core force behind the development of its human rights framework, providing solid moral and practical support for expanding the human rights system.
**Interviewer**: How does Chinese culture shape its human rights civilization?
**Qi Yanping**: Chinese cultural traditions promote a vision of people existing through “interconnected relationships,” emphasizing responsibility and ethics rather than the abstract individualism that some Western perspectives advocate.
The prioritization of responsibility is deeply entwined in Chinese history and culture, building a human rights framework that emphasizes the unity of rights and responsibilities. For individuals, this means that obligations to community and others take precedence over personal aspirations. Consequently, asserting one’s rights must be rooted in the context of these relationships and responsibilities.
From a collective viewpoint, throughout modern history, whether it’s Sun Yat-sen’s Three Principles of the People or the Communist Party’s adherence to Marxism, both have highlighted the significance of ethical responsibility as a theoretical and practical base aiming for social equality.
**Interviewer**: How does the ethical emphasis on responsibility guide human rights practices in China?
**Qi Yanping**: When it comes to establishing mechanisms for ensuring human rights, the Chinese approach shaped by this ethical focus entails that the governing party and state play a pivotal role in advancing human rights. The state’s proactive responsibilities are interconnected with individual duties. While Western liberalism often applies a “buyer beware” mentality, framing life improvements as individual matters, this results in a narrower ethical outlook that emphasizes negative rights—such as property and political rights—requiring minimal state intervention.
In contrast, Chinese human rights emphasize not just safeguarding individual rights through the judiciary but also creating institutional frameworks and socioeconomic conditions that ensure equitable access to those rights. China actively promotes balanced development across various sectors, enhancing people’s welfare and thus creating multiple avenues for personal freedom.
The Chinese human rights framework positions the responsibilities of the ruling party and state above individual legal recourse. This unique approach creates a dual system of human rights that integrates proactive promotion at the collective level with individual legal protections, establishing a comprehensive model that comprises both objective support and subjective legal remedies.
**Interviewer**: In what ways does the Chinese perspective on human rights impact global human rights civilization?
**Qi Yanping**: As the world’s second-largest economy and a responsible major power, China’s progress in human rights development has a significant impact on the global landscape. Our human rights practices, deeply rooted in historical and cultural contexts, introduce a new paradigm for enhancing global human rights civilization.
By stressing collective responsibility in promoting human rights, China contributes a model that harmonizes the active promotion of collective rights with individual judicial protections. In this era of shared destiny, relational perspectives mitigate individualistic polarizations. This fundamental ethical orientation not only strengthens our internal human rights initiatives but also offers insights and solutions from the Chinese experience to the broader development of global human rights civilization.
