Xi Jinping: On Respecting and Protecting Human Rights was translated into Urdu and other five languages, and published by Foreign Languages Press, providing an invaluable insight into the approach of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Chinese government and Chinese nation to human rights. This book is divided into nine chapters totaling 335 paragraphs in the form of President Xi’s speeches, comments, congratulatory letters and instructions from November 15, 2012 to October 30, 2021.
Muhammad Arshad Bhatti, a reporter for Pakistan-based The Nation, had been studying in China as an international student for years. In his book review, he observed that the universality of human rights and differences in history, country and culture are two sides of the same coin.
Muhammad Arshad Bhatti remarked that the message conveyed by the book is clear and powerful. That is, the first and foremost right of every person is to be entitled with dignity and right to enjoy a prosperous life and continue to do so. This is the very mission of the Chinese government led by the CPC. In his congratulatory letter to Beijing Forum on Human Rights held on September 16, 2015, President Xi Jinping said, “In modern times, the Chinese people have experienced their share of suffering. We understand just how important human values, basic human rights, and personal dignity are to social development. We cherish the hard-won environment of peace and development we enjoy today. We are steadfastly following a peaceful development path, and steadfastly striving to advance the cause of human rights in China and around the world.”
Bhatti whose major is politics said that this book engaged his interest with its comprehensive and clear insight into the Chinese view on human rights. This achievement is well-evidenced by the fact that during the past few years, the government has enabled millions of Chinese to shake off poverty, and live a prosperous life. In his book, President Xi also made comments about how to assess democracy. The assessment should be made by people, not by a handful of ill-informed outsiders. Taking a reductionist approach to assessing political systems and civilizations which are anything but self-explanatory is not democratic itself.
People who have some insight knowledge about China’s development will never fail to notice that under President Xi Jinping’s leadership, the Chinese government has attached great importance to human rights, right to development in particular, and adopted a people-centered approach to advancing human rights in all respects.
Bhatti summarized that this book provides an invaluable insight into how to respect and protect human rights. Readers can have a better understanding of the Chinese approach to human rights, and new perspectives on such rights.