wr2014_web_0

WORLD REPORT 2014well as the EU’s special representative for human tights, were allowed to visitthe TAR or other Tibetan areas.None of these governments commented on the denial of Chinese people’s politicalrights to choose their leaders during the 2012-2013 leadership transition,and few successfully integrated human rights concerns into meetings with seniorChinese officials.China participated in a review of its compliance with the Convention on theRights of Persons with Disabilities by the international treaty body charged withmonitoring implementation of the convention and a review of its overall humanrights record at the UN Human Rights Council, but it failed to provide basicinformation or provided deeply misleading information on torture, arbitrarydetention, and restrictions on freedom of expression. There are eight outstandingrequests to visit China by UN special rapporteurs, and UN agencies operatinginside China remain tightly restricted, their activities closely monitored bythe authorities.China’s Foreign PolicyDespite China’s continued rise as a global power and its 2013 leadership transition,including the appointment of a new foreign minister, long-established foreignpolicy views and practices remained relatively unchanged.China has become more engaged with various United Nations mechanisms buthas not significantly improved its compliance with international human rightsstandards or pushed for improved human rights protections in other countries.In a notable exception, shortly after it was elected to the UN Human RightsCouncil in November, China publicly urged Sri Lanka “to make efforts to protectand promote human rights.”Even in the face of the rapidly growing death toll in Syria and evidence inAugust 2013 that the Syrian government used chemical weapons against civilians,Beijing has continued to object to any significant Security Council measuresto increase pressure on the Assad regime and abusive rebel groups. It hasopposed referral of the situation to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and anarms embargo against forces that commit widespread human rights or laws ofwar violations. China has also slowed down Security Council-driven efforts to332