Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu briefs the media on the visit of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to China

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu. [Photo/mfa.gov.cn]
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, visited China at the end of May. On May 28, Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu briefed on the trip in a press interview.
Ma said that at the invitation of the Chinese government, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet visited China from May 23 to 28. This is Bachelet’s first visit to China since taking office as well as the first such visit by a UN human rights chief in 17 years. President Xi Jinping met by video link with High Commissioner Bachelet on May 25. State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with High Commissioner Bachelet and senior officials from the Supreme People’s Court, Supreme People’s Procuratorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Ethnic Affairs Commission, Ministry Public Security, Ministry of Human Resources. and the Social Security and the All-China Women’s Federation respectively held talks with the High Commissioner.
The two sides had in-depth and frank discussions in a spirit of mutual respect and openness. The Chinese side provided the High Commissioner with a comprehensive introduction to the path, philosophy and achievements of China’s human rights development. The two sides exchanged views on global human rights governance, multilateral human rights work, China’s cooperation with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and other matters of common interest.
In Guangzhou, High Commissioner Bachelet visited projects that reflect community-level democracy, poverty alleviation, judicial safeguard, environmental protection, people’s well-being, group rights protection issues and human rights education in China. In Xinjiang, High Commissioner Bachelet was briefed on measures taken and achievements made in the region in the fight against terrorism and deradicalization, social and economic development, ethnicity and religion, and the protection of human rights. work. She also made field visits to Kashgar and Urumqi where she had conversations with people from various communities, including ethnic minorities, academics and representatives of different social sectors.