U.S. a benchmark in disregarding and violating human rights: Chinese FM

The U.S. is by no means a model of respecting and protecting human rights, but a typical example of disregarding and violating human rights, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Monday when commenting on United Nations (UN) experts' calling on the U.S. to boost efforts to promote accountability for its past and future violations.

The UN International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice in the Context of Law Enforcement paid a visit to the U.S. from April 24 to May 5. Slavery has left "a deep and long-lasting entrenched legacy" on the U.S., which can be "perceived through generational trauma," according to a press release by UN after wrapping up the 12-day visit. 

"Racial discrimination permeates all contacts with law enforcement, from the first contact - at times already in school - by means of racial profiling, arrest, detention, sentencing and disenfranchisement in some States. In each of those aspects, available data points to a clear disproportional impact upon people of African descent," said the UN.

The UN experts urged the U.S. government to take actions to establish strong accountability for human rights violations, strengthen supervision of law enforcement, and provide full compensation and assistance to victims of racial discrimination, said Wang.

In 2020, the UN Human Rights Council has held an emergency debate to raise concerns about racial discrimination in U.S. law enforcement following the death of African American man George Floyd under the knee of a white police officer, Wang said. The Human Rights Council also established the above-mentioned Expert Mechanism in 2021 to promote racial justice and equality and to hold perpetrators accountable, said Wang.

However, unfortunately, incidents of police-related racial violence still occur frequently in the U.S., and discrimination against ethnic minorities such as people of African descent continues to increase, according to Wang.

Police violence and racial discrimination in the U.S. fully expose the country's disregard for the right of life and deep-rooted racism, Wang said.

China urged the U.S. to respond seriously to the concerns of the international community, examine through its own serious problems in racism, racial discrimination and police violence, and stop interfering in the internal affairs of other countries under the excuses of human rights. The U.S. should take concrete measures to give the truth and justice of the victims and do not let the tragedy of Floyd and the thousands of victims of racism repeat again, Wang noted.