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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
UN, January 20 /Xinhua/ — The fight against crimes against humanity must be carried out in accordance with the UN Charter and the universally recognized principles and norms of international law, Sun Lei, Chargé d'Affaires of the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the UN, stated on Monday.
He made this statement at the first session of the Preparatory Committee of the UN Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity.
The objective of this UN conference, scheduled for 2028 and 2029, is to develop a Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity.
Sun Lei noted that in recent years, such crimes have become the subject of constant political manipulation. Under the pretext of fighting crime and protecting human rights, some states interfere in the internal affairs of other countries and commit armed aggression, grossly violating the spirit of international law and order, he explained.
"We recommend that the draft articles [of the convention] pay greater attention to respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, the prohibition of the use or threat of force, non-interference in internal affairs, and other principles of international law," he said. "They should also reflect norms of customary international law, such as respect for the immunity of state officials from jurisdiction."
Sun Lei believes that the definition of crimes against humanity is one of the key issues concerning the convention and should not be simply transferred from the Rome Statute.
International cooperation in combating crimes against humanity must take into account the specificities and differences in countries' legal systems, the Chinese diplomat noted, adding that flexibility and inclusiveness should be demonstrated in contentious issues. He also emphasized the need to fully respect national legal systems and discretionary powers.
China would like to emphasize that, according to the mandate of UN General Assembly resolution 79/122, the discussions of the Preparatory Committee and its working group do not constitute formal negotiations on the instrument, and the current draft articles do not constitute the original draft of the convention, Sun Lei said.
"The development of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity is crucial to the collective interests of the international community and represents a major, systematic undertaking. All parties must approach this work with a sense of responsibility, respect each other's legitimate interests, and strive to achieve the broadest possible consensus," the Chinese diplomat noted.
He said China is willing to work with all parties to advance international cooperation in combating crimes against humanity, promote world peace, and uphold international justice and fairness.
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