A side meeting of the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review Working Group of the United Nations Human Rights Council takes place in Geneva, Switzerland, on Jan. 22, 2024, focusing on placing development at the agenda center — safeguarding economic, social and cultural rights. [Photo by Ma Xiuxiu/China News Service]

On January 26, 2024, the 45th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group of the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted unanimously its report on the fourth cycle of the UPR of China in Geneva, Switzerland.

'China's Moment' in UPR

In 2006, the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 60/251, transforming the Commission on Human Rights into the Human Rights Council. This resolution authorized the council to periodically review the adherence of all United Nations member states to the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and ratified human rights treaties, as well as their human rights commitments, based on impartial and reliable information. This process is known as the Universal Periodic Review. It decides that the United Nations Human Rights Council shall review the human rights situation of 193 member countries of the United Nations every four and a half years.

The UPR primarily considers three sources of information: the national reports submitted by countries, detailing human rights developments, implementation of prior recommendations, challenges, and areas needing improvement; a compilation of information by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), summarizing the human rights situations reported by various U.N. agencies; and a summary of stakeholder information prepared by the OHCHR, incorporating submissions from national human rights institutions, regional organizations, and non-governmental organizations about the participating countries.

China's involvement in the fourth UPR highlights several key aspects:

First, the Chinese government's serious commitment is evident. A delegation comprising representatives from major central and local government departments, including the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, the State Council Information Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and others, alongside representatives from the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions and Xinjiang and Xizang, participated. They provided a thorough overview of China's human rights progress, addressed inquiries and suggestions from previous sessions, and engaged in open and candid dialogue with representatives from various countries.