人权日-驻北京使馆
临时代办声明

身为美国驻中华人民共和国(PRC)大使馆临时代办，我很荣幸来庆祝联合国《世界人权宣言》通过73周年。美国致力于履行我们在宣言中的承诺，并认识到推动国内外对人权的尊重是我们庄严的任务。美国正在主办民主峰会，来自世界各地的民主政体和我们一道，共同抵御威权主义、打击贪污腐败、并推动对人权的尊重。
自从到北京上任以来，我看到PRC和其官方媒体谈论美国的国内挑战。我们欢迎这些讨论，并呼吁PRC也能如此接受批评。如拜登总统最近所述，“以身作则意味着不假装我们的历史完美，而是展现强大的国家对于过去诚实以对、坚持真理、努力求改进。”如果要有一个真正的、充满活力的民主，其治理模式便必须要能保障公开辩论与表达自由–甚至表达的是对本国政府的批评时，新闻自由和人民通过自由、公平的选举来表达政治意愿的权利对民主而言是至关重要的。
我见证到中国在诸多领域的进展，但我也看到PRC在中国、在国际媒体、在联合国，不实地宣称其支持人权和民主价值。在新疆问题上，国务卿布林肯已确认PRC犯下种族灭绝和危害人类罪，危害绝大多数为穆斯林的维吾尔人，以及其他少数民族和宗教少数群体。美国重申对PRC的呼吁，停止暴行、释放那些被不正当拘留的人、以及允许独立调查人员畅通无阻前往该地区。我们呼吁PRC允许藏传佛教徒信奉其信仰的自由，并停止侵犯他们自决的权利。在香港问题上，我们仍极度关切国安法之下香港高度自治的瓦解，以及其居民受到保护的权利和自由持续恶化。
更广泛地，对行使人权和基本自由的中国公民，包括行使表达自由在内，据报道，PRC将之监禁、虐待、并让他们消失。为了模糊事实和打压新闻自由，记者面临人身和数字威胁与骚扰。随着非政府组织的运作和得到支持的能力面临更大的限制，公民社会的空间不断缩小。律师无法发挥基本职能来捍卫公民的权利，因为其自身也面临来自警方的恐吓，持续面临被撤销律师资格的风险，以及言论受到严重限制。随着神职人员和信众被迫遵守有史以来最严苛的监管和限制，宗教自由日益恶化。男女同性恋、双性恋、变性人、酷儿、间性人等（LGBTQI+）群体在大学校园的社交媒体帐号被审查，勇敢的女性挺身对抗侵犯他们的人，但却遭到毁誉和被噤声。
在庆祝国际人权日的今天，我坚定地申明，人权无国界，而且也不是内部事务。如布林肯国务卿所述，“美国并不宣称自己是十全十美，但是我们每天致力于追求改进，对自己负责，成为更完善的联邦。我们公开、透明地面对自身的挑战，让全世界都看得到。”我希望PRC能履行承诺和义务、信任其公民、进行透明治理、保护人权。在这种情况下，PRC便能开始，将其行动与对中国人民和国际社会的职责保持一致。直到那时，美国和我们的伙伴都有责任，促进问责PRC对人权的践踏。

Statement from the Chargé d’Affaires, a.i.
Human Rights Day – Embassy Beijing

As Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), I am honored to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of the UN’s adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The United States strives to live up to our commitments under the Declaration and recognizes our solemn duty to promote respect for human rights at home and abroad. The United States is hosting the Summit for Democracy, where democracies around the world join us to defend against authoritarianism, fight corruption, and promote respect for human rights.
Since my arrival to Beijing, I have seen the PRC and its state media discuss the United States’ domestic challenges. We welcome this discussion and urge the PRC to be as open to criticism. As President Biden recently said, “leading by example means not pretending that our history has been perfect but demonstrating how strong nations speak honestly about the past and uphold the truth and strive to improve.” To have a true and vibrant democracy, one must have a governance model that safeguards open debate and freedom of expression – even when such expression is critical of one’s government, freedom of the press and the right of the people to express their political will through free and fair elections are vital to a democracy.
While I have witnessed China’s progress in many areas, I have also seen the PRC inaccurately claim, here in China, in international media, and at the United Nations that it supports human rights and democratic values. On Xinjiang, Secretary Blinken has affirmed that the PRC is committing genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs, who are predominantly Muslim, and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups. The United States reiterates our call for the PRC to cease committing atrocities, release those unjustly detained, and allow independent investigators unhindered access to the region. The United States calls on the PRC to allow Tibetan Buddhists to freely practice their beliefs. On Hong Kong, the United States remains deeply concerned about the dismantling of the city’s high degree of autonomy under the National Security Law and the continued deterioration of protected rights and freedoms of its residents.
More broadly, the PRC reportedly jails, tortures, and disappears Chinese citizens for exercising their human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to freedom of expression. In an effort to obscure facts and suppress a free press, journalists face physical and digital threats and harassment. The space for civil society continues to shrink as NGOs face greater restrictions on their operations and their ability to receive support. Lawyers cannot perform basic functions to defend the rights of citizens as they face intimidation from the police, the constant risk of disbarment, and severe restrictions on their speech. Freedom of religion or belief continues to deteriorate as clergy and adherents are forced to obey ever stricter regulations and restrictions. Social media accounts of LGBTQI+ groups on college campuses are being censored, and brave women speaking out against their aggressors are defamed and silenced.
On this day celebrating Human Rights Day, I resolutely affirm that human rights know no borders and are not internal affairs. As Secretary Blinken has said, “The United States does not claim to be perfect, but we strive every day to improve, to hold ourselves accountable, to become a more perfect union. We confront our own challenges openly, transparently, for the entire world to see.” I hope the PRC will live up to its words and obligations, trust its citizens, govern transparently, and protect human rights. In doing so, the PRC would begin to align its actions with its duties to the Chinese people and the international community. Until that happens, the United States and our partners have the responsibility to promote accountability for the PRC for its human rights abuses.