BRI brings positive forces to global human rights development: Ecuadorian experts

MEXICO CITY, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) helps partner countries achieve common prosperity and advances human rights development, Ecuadorian experts have said.

While driving economic growth and improving infrastructure construction in participating countries, primarily in developing countries, the BRI has also improved the living standards of their people, said Decio Machado, an international political analyst and a Spanish citizen who has been living in Ecuador for years.

Its philosophy of putting people first, promoting cooperative development brings positive forces to the development of human rights, fairness, and social justice, solidifying the foundation of human rights development, he added.

On Thursday, the China Foundation for Human Rights Development and Xinhua's think tank, New China Research, issued a report titled "For a Better World -- Looking at the Past Decade of Jointly Pursuing the Belt and Road Initiative from a Human Rights Perspective."

"I fully agree with the report's description that the cooperative construction of the Belt and Road conforms to the strong desire of people of partner countries to live a better life," said Rafael Quintero, former deputy foreign minister of Ecuador.

The initiative promotes economic, employment, education, and healthcare development in participating countries, Quintero said, enhancing the well-being of people in Ecuador and other participating Latin American countries, thereby reducing negative impacts on human rights caused by immigration, unemployment, and violence among others.