For decades, the Chinese government has been following a people-centered approach in human rights protection and earnestly implementing the constitutional principle of respecting and protecting human rights, and has thus made historic achievements.

In pursuit of better human rights conditions, the world's most populous country gives priority to people's rights to subsistence and development, the primary and basic human rights.

Under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, China has eliminated absolute poverty and proposed a series of initiatives to boost cooperation and promote common development across the world, which has blazed a path of human rights development that is consistent with the trend of the times and carries distinct Chinese features, thus making major contribution to human rights progress in China and the international human rights cause.

Xi, on multiple occasions, has put forward his thoughts and vision on how to better protect human rights and improve global human rights governance. The following are some highlights of his remarks in this regard.

Dec. 10, 2018

In a congratulatory letter to a symposium marking the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Beijing, Xi said the Communist Party of China (CPC) has always taken human development as its goal, and hundreds of millions of Chinese people have had their lives improved since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, particularly over the past four decades of reform and opening-up.

China adheres to a people-centered vision of human rights, considers the rights to subsistence and development as the primary and basic human rights, and works for coordinated development of the people's economic, political, social, cultural and environmental rights, Xi said.

Sept. 8, 2020

During a meeting held in Beijing to commend role models in China's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, Xi said the CPC Central Committee had adopted extraordinary measures to tackle the extraordinary incident of the pandemic, insisting on making people's lives and health the first priority.

No efforts were spared when it came to saving lives, be it a 30-hour old baby or a centenarian, thus reflecting the CPC's concept of exercising governance for the people, Xi said.

"We are willing to do whatever it takes to protect people's lives!" he added.

July 1, 2021

Addressing a ceremony celebrating the CPC centenary in Beijing, Xi called for developing whole-process people's democracy, safeguarding social fairness and justice, and resolving the imbalances and inadequacies in development and the most pressing difficulties and problems that are of great concern to the people.

"In doing so, we will make more notable and substantive progress toward achieving well-rounded human development and common prosperity for all," he said.

Sept. 21, 2021

At the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Xi called on the global community to stay committed to a people-centered approach.

"We should safeguard and improve people's livelihoods and protect and promote human rights through development, and make sure that development is for the people and by the people, and that its fruits are shared among the people," Xi said.

"We should continue our work so that the people will have a greater sense of happiness, benefit and security, and achieve well-rounded development," he noted.

Dec. 8, 2021

In a congratulatory letter to the 2021 South-South Human Rights Forum held in Beijing, Xi said human rights are a symbol of human civilization progress, and putting people first and taking people's longing for a better life as the goal is the responsibility of all countries.

The CPC has always been a political party that respects and protects human rights, Xi stressed, adding that China stays committed to a people-centered approach, puts people's interests front and center, advances human rights through development and promotes whole-process people's democracy.

"China is willing to work with all developing countries to carry forward the common values of humanity, practice true multilateralism and contribute wisdom and strength to the sound development of the international human rights cause," he said.

Feb. 25, 2022

When presiding over a group study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Xi called for more efforts to pay attention to, respect and safeguard human rights and better advance the development of China's human rights cause as the country has embarked on a new journey to fully build a modern socialist China.

Xi urged further efforts to fulfill the people's expectation for high-quality and better lives, and meet their growing needs to exercise lawful rights in various aspects.

He also stressed actively promoting global governance on human rights, upholding the common values of humanity, and advancing the global governance on human rights in a fairer, more equitable, rational and inclusive direction.