China To UN: Respect Sri Lanka’s Sovereignty

COLOMBO (News 1st); 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 in Geneva, the Representative of China emphasized that any efforts to address 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 stated.

China also took note of the OHCHR’s report on Sri Lanka and commended the country’s recent initiatives 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 taken to ensure accountability for the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks and other emblematic cases.

Reaffirming its support, China stated it will continue to back Sri Lanka’s efforts to maintain political stability, focus on economic development, and achieve autonomous and sustainable progress. “Such efforts are vital to improving the living standards of the Sri Lankan people,” the representative added.

China reiterated its opposition to the politicization and instrumentalization of human rights issues, advocating for impartial and objective work within the Human Rights Council.