Russia and China were among nations that abstained. The vote on the Chinese motion was 22-17, with 14 abstentions. There were few surprises, as China won support from Russia, India and Pakistan.
Delegates burst into applause when the vote tally was announced.
This year, however, the mood was more businesslike than for China's victory in 1997, when it also used procedural tactics to bury debate on its rights record. In 1998, the United States declined to field a critical resolution, citing Beijing's steps to improve democratic rights for its citizens. But with the crackdown on pro-democracy advocates toward the end of last year, the United States once again mounted an effort to call China to account on human rights. The effort seemed rocky from the start, as only Poland signed on, just two days ago, as a co-sponsor. Despite the defeat, the United States narrowed the margin of China's victory.