The Chinese Embassy in Fiji has responded to reports that China has opposed the candidacy of Ambassador Nazhat Shameem Khan to be the President of the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2021.
Khan is Fiji's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva.
In a statement to fijivillage, the Chinese Embassy in Fiji says both China and Fiji are developing countries and have the same positions in the field of human rights.
The statement further says China is happy to see the Fiji candidate elected as the President of the United Nations Human Rights Council 2021 on behalf of the Asia and Pacific Group.
It says whoever becomes the new President of the United Nations Human Rights Council should endeavour to promote the human rights cause in a constructive way.
The Reuters news agency reports that diplomats and observers say Russia and China have opposed Khan as a candidate as she is a staunch human rights defender.
The impasse means the council, the only intergovernmental global body to promote and protect human rights worldwide, is set to resume work in Geneva this week with no leader for the first time in its 15-year history.
