Chinese Contributions to International Discourse of Human Rights

Description

This book discusses human rights law, focusing on Chinese contributions to international human rights viewed from a perspective of global governance. The original research presented here integrates a variety of research methods: inter-disciplinary approaches, historical and comparative methods, documentary research and so on. The research findings can be described briefly as follows: In global governance, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) serves as a historic cross-cultural heritage, while Pengchun Chang, the Chinese representative, made great contributions to the establishment of the international human rights system.  After examining the characteristics of the Chinese discourse on human rights in global governance, the book suggests fundamental principles for improving human rights standards in China. In addition, it explores Chinese concepts of human dignity concerning the Declaration on Human Dignity for everyone, everywhere. The target readers are global scholars and students of law, politics, philosophy, international relations, human rights law, religion and culture. The book will provide these readers a vivid picture of China’s contributions to international human rights, and a better understanding of the significance of traditional Chinese culture and wisdom.  Foreword by Mo Jihong 1 Brief Introduction to Professor Pinghua Sun 2 Major Academic Achievements 2.1 The Study of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Peking University Press 2012) 2.2 Human Rights Protection System in China (Springer 2014) 2.3 Pengchun Chang: A Crucial Architect of the International Human Rights System (Social Sciences Academic Press 2017) 2.4 Historic Achievement of a Common Standard: Pengchun Chang and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Springer 2018) 3 International and Domestic Academic Exchanges and Cooperation 3.1 Participating in International Academic Exchanges and Cooperation 3.2 Participating in Domestic Academic Exchanges and Cooperation 4 General Comments on the Present Book 4.1 Contents and Sources of Each Chapter 4.2 Main Academic Viewpoints 4.3 Main Research Methods 4.4 Academic Innovation and Academic Value References Foreword by Yang Mingxing Preface Acknowledgements Contents Abbreviations 1 UDHR: Historic Cross-Cultural Heritage as a Common Standard for Human Rights 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Cross-Cultural Sources of the UDHR 1.2.1 Western Cultural Sources of the UDHR 1.2.2 Non-Western Cultural Sources of the UDHR 1.2.3 Cross-Cultural Consensuses Serving as Ideological Foundations for the UDHR 1.3 Fundamental Rights System of the UDHR 1.3.1 Civil Rights and Political Rights 1.3.2 Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 1.4 Criticism of the UDHR Rights System 1.5 Conclusion References 2 Pengchun Chang’s Concept of Human Dignity for the UDHR 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Who is Pengchun Chang? 2.3 Chang’s Concept of Human Rights 2.3.1 Introduction to Chang’s Concept of Human Rights 2.3.2 Rich Connotative Meaning of Chang’s Concept of Human Rights 2.4 Human Dignity in Chang’s Concept of Human Rights 2.4.1 The Human Dignity Cherished by the UDHR’s Founding Figures 2.4.2 Influential Factors in Chang’s Concept of Human Dignity 2.4.3 Uses of Human Dignity in Chang’s Concept of Human Rights 2.5 Conclusion References 3 Pengchun Chang’s Contributions to International Human Rights in Global Governance 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Empirical Studies 3.2.1 Research Data 3.2.2 Research Methods 3.3 Results and Discussions 3.3.1 Academic Literature Analysis 3.3.2 Case Analysis of UN Documents 3.4 Conclusion References 4 Pengchun Chang’s Contributions to the Drafting of the UDHR 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Defining the Legal Status of the UDHR and Integrating Confucianism 4.2.1 Putting Forth the Overall Drafting Plan and Defining the Legal Status of the UDHR Accurately 4.2.2 Adherence to Traditional Chinese Culture and Successful Integration of Confucianism 4.3 Resolving Disputes and Conflicts with Chinese Wisdom 4.3.1 Insisting on the Universality of Human Rights and Solving the Disputes About the Origin of Human Rights 4.3.2 Creatively Breaking Deadlocks and Resolving Conflicts with Extraordinary Wisdom 4.4 Dominating the Right to Speak and Illustrating Chinese Human Rights Concepts 4.4.1 Dominating the Right to Speak in the Drafting Process with Profound Knowledge 4.4.2 Thinking from a Philosophical Perspective and Expounding Chinese Views on Human Rights to the World 4.5 Advocating Simplicity and Highlighting the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 4.5.1 Advocating the Principle to Be Brief and Readily Understandable with Rigorous Structure 4.5.2 Emphasizing Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and Proposing the Concept of Mutual Tolerance and Harmonious Society 4.6 Concluding Remarks References 5 Duansheng Qian’s Thoughts on Human Rights 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Research Design 5.2.1 Research Subject—Duansheng Qian (Tuan-Sheng Chien) 5.2.2 Research Question 5.2.3 Research Methods 5.3 Results and Discussions 5.3.1 Exploring the Origin and Arguments of Statements About and Emphasizing Both Negative and Positive Obligations of the State 5.3.2 Based on the Comparison of Constitutions and on National Political Studies, Paying Attention to the Basic Rights and Obligations of the People 5.3.3 Emphasizing the Types and Nature of Rights, and Using the Constitution to Determine the Scope of Freedoms 5.3.4 Strongly Advocating the Three Principles of the People, and Both Loathing and Loving Totalitarianism 5.3.5 Advocating the Equal Importance of Both Negative and Positive Rights, and Focusing on the Equality of Rights in Law 5.3.6 Attaching Importance to the Principle of Freedom and Equality of the People, and Maintaining the Reduction of Social Inequality 5.3.7 Emphasizing that Property Right is a Theory of Social Functions Rather Than Human Rights, and that the Scope of Property Rights Should Be Limited 5.3.8 Calling for Releasing an International Declaration of Human Rights After the War to Promote the International Community of Great Harmony 5.4 Conclusion References 6 Chinese Discourse of Human Rights in Global Governance 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Several Considerations for Constructing China’s Human Rights Discourse System 6.3 The Core Content of China’s Human Rights Discourse System 6.3.1 The Concept of Human Rights in the Traditional Chinese Culture 6.3.2 Historical Contributions of China to Establishing the International Human Rights Regime 6.3.3 The Rejuvenation and Great Progress of Human Rights Cause in China 6.3.4 Social and Dynamic Construction of China’s Discourse System of Human Rights 6.4 Conclusion References 7 Protection of the Right to Life by International Human Rights Law 7.1 Provisions of the Right to Life from International Human Rights Law 7.2 The State’s Obligation to Protect the Right to Life 7.2.1 The State’s Obligation to Protect the Life According to the Law 7.2.2 The Right to Life and the Right to Food, Housing and Health 7.3 Deprival of the Right to Life According to Law 7.3.1 The Punishment and Execution of Death Penalty 7.3.2 The Death Caused by State Security People 7.3.3 The Principle of Protection of the Right to Life in Wars and Fighting Conflicts 7.4 Conclusion References 8 Human Rights Education in the Chinese Context 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Role of Human Rights Education 8.2.1 Fulfillment of the UN Requirement 8.2.2 Fulfillment of a National Objective 8.2.3 Requirements of a Harmonious Society 8.2.4 Requirements for Living 8.3 Aims, Functions and Significance of Human Rights Education 8.3.1 The Aims 8.3.2 The Functions 8.3.3 The Significance 8.4 Main Factors of Human Rights Education 8.4.1 Multiple Subjects of HRE 8.4.2 Universal Objects of HRE 8.4.3 Sufficient Contents and Flexible Methods of HRE 8.5 Problems and Strategies in Human Rights Education 8.5.1 Problems in HRE 8.5.2 Strategies in HRE 8.6 Conclusion References 9 Fundamental Principles for Achieving International Human-Rights Standards 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Fundamental Principles 9.2.1 Integrating the Universality of Human-Rights with Country-Specific Situations 9.2.2 Giving Priority to the Right to Subsistence and the Right to Development 9.2.3 Recognizing Human Rights for All Members of Society 9.2.4 Realizing the Goal of All-Around Development of Human Rights 9.2.5 Balancing Rights and Obligations in Promoting the Development of Human Rights 9.2.6 Human Rights and Social Stability, Economic Development, and the Legal Construction 9.2.7 Human Rights as an Essentially Domestic Affair of a Sovereign State 9.2.8 Promoting the International Human-Rights Cause Through Talks and Cooperation 9.2.9 Human-Rights Education as a Basic Measure in Promoting Human Rights 9.2.10 Peace, Development, and Human Rights Contributing to a Harmonious World 9.3 Conclusion References 10 China’s Strategies Towards Punta Del Este Declaration on Human Dignity for Everyone Everywhere 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Origin and Background of the Declaration on Human Dignity 10.2.1 Origin of the Declaration on Human Dignity from International Law 10.2.2 Background of the Declaration on Human Dignity 10.3 Main Content and Expected Influence of the Declaration on Human Dignity 10.3.1 Main Content of the Declaration on Human Dignity 10.3.2 Expected Impact of the Declaration on Human Dignity 10.4 Chinese Views on and Principles for Human Dignity and Strategies Towards the Declaration on Human Dignity 10.4.1 Chinese Views on Human Dignity 10.4.2 Chinese Principles for Human Dignity 10.4.3 Chinese Proposed Strategies Towards the Declaration on Human Dignity 10.5 Conclusion References 11 On Western Hegemony in Human Rights Discourse 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Research Methods 11.3 Results and Discussions 11.3.1 The Causes of Western Hegemony in Human Rights Discourse 11.3.2 A Case Study of Breaking Western Hegemonic Discourse 11.4 Strategies for Dealing with Western Hegemony in Human Rights Discourse 11.4.1 Striving to Enhance the Comprehensive National Strength and Promoting the Development of Human Rights Cause 11.4.2 Vigorously Speeding up Personnel Training for Promotion of the International Human Rights Exchanges 11.4.3 Systematically Exploring China’s Human Rights Thoughts and Constructing the Chinese System in Human Rights Discourse 11.4.4 Adhering to the Concept of “A Community of Shared Future for Mankind” and Cracking Western Hegemony in Human Rights Discourse 11.5 Conclusion References Appendix A About the Author References Appendix B President and Professor Huang Jin’s Book Review Appendix C Book Review from Anonymous Experts of National Achievements Library of Philosophy and Social Sciences Appendix D Professor Liu Hainian’s Book Review Appendix E Professor Michael Addo’s Book Review Appendix F Professor Liou Wei-Chih’s Book Review Appendix G Report on the Author’s Lecture (Xi’an) Appendix H Report on the Author’s Lecture (RUC) Appendix I Comments on the Author’s Lectures (Zhengzhou University) Appendix J Punta del Este Declaration on Human Dignity for Everyone Everywhere Appendix K Official Record at the 295th Meeting of the Fifth Session, Third Committee (UN General Assembly) Appendix L The Author’s Telling a Chinese Human Rights Story (2010–2020) Index