China: SL making progress on HR

Claiming that Sri Lanka has made progress in promoting human rights and towards national reconciliation, China called on the international community to desist from taking measures that 'may complicate the issue'.

In an emailed statement the Chinese Embassy in Colombo has said that China's position remains unchanged and Sri Lanka over the years has made considerable strides in promoting human rights and realizing national reconciliation.

"We believe that the Sri Lankan government and people have the wisdom and capacity to deal appropriately with their internal affairs," the statement said.
China has further called on the international community to desist from taking measures that 'may complicate the issue'.

"The international community, instead of taking measures that may complicate the issue, should create a favorable external environment for Sri Lanka to pursue stability and economic development," Zhou Yongsheng, Chief of Political Section at the Chinese Embassy has said in the email message.

Clarifying the China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Qin Gang's November 18 statement on Sri Lanka's human rights situation, the Embassy said the Spokesperson's recent remarks were subjected to certain distortions in sections of the media.

Following is the actual statement of the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson.

Q: At the Commonwealth Summit in Colombo, human rights violation in Sri Lanka has become a big issue. The British Prime Minister raised the deadline to next March or so for Sri Lanka to set right its human rights record; otherwise, it will be taken on by the UN Human Rights Council. What is China's comment?

A: What you have mentioned is the "domestic affairs" of the British Commonwealth. But we hold that since national conditions of countries differ and levels of economic and social development vary, countries can have differences or even disagreements on human rights protection. What is most important is that human rights conditions should be improved by the governments of countries concerned through their efforts and constructive help should also be offered by the international community. We have been upholding that on the issue of human rights, the international community should enhance mutual understanding and cooperation through dialogues and exchanges to jointly promote the international cause of human rights in a constructive way.