U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Visits China

Louise Arbour, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, is visiting China from August 29 to September 2, according to a United Nations press release. Ms. Arbour’s visit aims to renew technical cooperation programs between her office and the Chinese government. She also hopes to sign an agreement on facilitating the Chinese government’s ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and on implementing several recommendations from the U.N. Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. According to the press release, the High Commissioner will meet the Ministers of Justice and Foreign Affairs, the President of the Supreme People’s Court, and other senior Chinese officials.

Ms. Arbour's visit is the latest in a series of events and announcements suggesting heightened engagement between China and the international human rights community. On July 20, Chinese officials and the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) announced that they had signed an agreement to open an ICRC office in Beijing. From August 12 to 28, a delegation from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom visited China. On August 22, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture announced that he would visit China in December 2005.

Before the UN Human Rights Commission met in Geneva in March 2005, the U.S. government noted China's commitment to open the ICRC office and receive the delegations as signs of progress in its human rights policies.