POTENTIAL FOR ABUSE: The appointment of a top Chinese diplomat to the council’s Consultative Group reflects China’s effort to expand its influence over the UN system, MOFA said

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 08, 2020
By:Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporter

UN members need to watch out for Beijing’s abuse of power in the world body’s systems, after a Chinese official was appointed last week to a panel on the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday

Jiang Duan (蔣端), who holds the rank of minister at the Chinese mission in Geneva, Switzerland, was appointed to the council’s Consultative Group as a representative for Asia-Pacific states for a one-year term through March 31 next year.

It is ironic that the Chinese government, with its egregious record on human rights issues, can be admitted into the consultative group to help monitor the human rights conditions in other countries, ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said in a statement.

The appointment reflects China’s control over UN systems, which deserves the vigilance of all governments, she said.    [FULL  STORY]