There were hardly any celebrations in Beijing this month when President Xi Jinping’s China, often reprimanded for human rights violations, returned to the United Nations human rights council this month. Because behind Beijing’s victory, there was a great loss of support that many see as a reflection of China’s record. Beijing garnered just 139 votes for inclusion on the world body’s 47-member Human Rights Council, the lowest vote among the 15 selected countries. His tally also reflected a loss of support from 41 UN member states that had supported China in the 2016 elections.
China then claimed its 180 votes, up from 167 in 2009 and 167 in 2013, as proof of the “credit given by the international community to China for its achievements in the development of human rights.” This time, the Chinese Foreign Ministry focused mainly on the fact that it was his fifth term on the council.
However, the seat on the rights panel has not isolated China. Twenty-three governments criticized China for its abuses in Xinjiang at the Third Committee of the General Assembly in October 2019. A year later, the figure rose to 40 and the topic was expanded to address concerns about Hong Kong and Tibet. In June, 50 UN human rights experts came together to seek “decisive measures” to protect fundamental freedoms in China.
Closer to the Oct. 14 vote, an interregional group of 39 United Nations member countries rebuked Beijing for violations in Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet. “We are deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Xinjiang and recent events in Hong Kong,” German Ambassador Christoph Heusgen said in a statement on behalf of the group to the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly.
China watchers argue that the depletion of Beijing’s support in the October elections is also a reflection of President Xi Jinping’s belligerent diplomacy in the neighborhood and beyond that has turned Beijing’s potential partners into adversaries and positioned them. on the same side. In less than 12 months, China has engaged in multiple border clashes with India in East Ladakh, flown military jets over Taiwan, cracked down on Hong Kong, launched trade wars with the United States and Australia, sparked a bitter exchange. with Canada and sought to consolidate control over the South China Sea, a major crude oil trade route for the world.
It is in this context that the United States emerged as the bulwark against Beijing, deepening partnerships with Asian and European countries and building alliances such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue with India, Australia, and Japan.
Last week, the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group returned to the South China Sea for the third time this year to demonstrate its commitment to “the legal use of the seas and maintaining open access to the international commons” and participated in joint exercises with Australia and Japan as of Monday.
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