China welcomes visit of UN rights chief this May: envoy

GENEVA, March 8 (Xinhua) -- China welcomes the visit by the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights to China, including Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, this May, China's permanent representative to the UN Office at Geneva Chen Xu said here on Tuesday.

"We will work with the High Commissioner's Office to make preparations for the visit," Chen said at the ongoing 49th session of the Human Rights Council.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Tuesday announced that an agreement has been recently reached with the government of China for a visit.

"My Office and the Government of China have initiated concrete preparations for a visit that is foreseen to take place in May of this year," Bachelet said while delivering her annual report to the UN rights body.

"Preparations will have to take into account COVID-19 regulations," Bachelet said.

Chen told the UN Human Rights Council that in the face of various global challenges, the international community must join hands to address them, bridge differences through dialogue, and enhance mutual trust through cooperation.

"We commend the High Commissioner and her Office for making combating inequalities a priority of the Office's work, and increasing input to economic, social and cultural rights and the right to development," Chen noted.

"We expect the High Commissioner and her Office to respect the sovereignty of all countries as well as the human rights and development path independently chosen by countries in light of their national conditions, promote dialogue and cooperation, and make joint efforts to make global human rights governance more fair, just, reasonable and inclusive," he added.

He told the Council that by putting people at the center, China is committed to realizing, safeguarding and advancing the fundamental interests of the entire Chinese population.

"China's historic human rights achievements are there for all to see," he stressed.