"Those who only seek comfort for themselves will ultimately be rejected; those who sacrifice their own interests for the success of others will be supported."

On July 6, 2021, President Xi Jinping quoted this line in his keynote speech at the Communist Party of China and World Political Parties Summit. The quote comes from the collected works of Fang Xiaoru, a renowned scholar in the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It conveys the idea that people who think only of themselves will find themselves alone, whereas those who set aside their personal interests for the good of others will win popular support.

By invoking this line, Xi stressed that development is not the exclusive privilege of a few but the right of all countries. Any political manipulation aimed at hindering the development of other nations or undermining the wellbeing of their people will find little support and ultimately prove futile.

China has charted its own path to human rights improvement by effectively adopting a strategy that advances human rights through development. The country's decades-long poverty-reduction efforts have lifted nearly 800 million people out of extreme poverty, while simultaneously raising levels of education, healthcare and average life expectancy, all of which point to a substantial improvement in the country's human rights conditions.

Yet this achievement is far from universal. For most developing countries, poverty still remains the most immediate threat to human rights.

This reality is reflected in the priorities set out by the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes goals such as eliminating poverty, achieving gender equality, promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, fostering full and productive employment and ensuring decent work for all. At its core is the promise of "leaving no one behind," a commitment grounded in the belief that development is a key driver of human rights.

On July 8, a China-proposed resolution titled The Contribution of Development to the Enjoyment of All Human Rights was adopted by the 59th Session of the UN Human Rights Council. The resolution reaffirms the vital role development plays in ensuring all human rights. It also underscores how people-centered high-quality development helps meet people's growing aspirations for better quality of life while supporting the realization of all human rights.

However, the world today is still grappling with a severe development deficit, as uneven and insufficient development continues to hold back the advancement of global human rights.

A concerning gap exists in the human rights approach of some developed nations. These countries often apply human rights as a standard for diplomatic pressure, overemphasizing political rights while overlooking fundamental issues like poverty. A more balanced stance would require respecting the link between development and human rights.

Every country has its own unique national context, shaped by differences in history, culture, social system and level of development. Countries must therefore ground their efforts in their own realities and the needs of their people, and find a model of human rights development that suits their own circumstances. 

The international community should strengthen cooperation to ensure that people of all nations can share in the benefits of development. Only by making global development more inclusive, equitable and sustainable can we enter a harmonious world of shared prosperity—one in which development and human rights support and reinforce each other in the building of a sustainable and dignified future for all. BR

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon

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