Values-based diplomacy, phytosanitary cooperation, and holding flashlights only on others

Terms to note from today's PRC Ministry of Foreign Affairs press conference:

• 植物卫生 / phytosanitary?

- 据了解，中方主管部门还将举办中非卫生与植物卫生（SPS）合作论坛，支持和便利更多非洲优质特色农食产品进入中国市场。?

As we understand, the Chinese competent authorities will hold a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) cooperation forum between China and Africa to support and facilitate easy access of more unique and high-quality African food and agricultural products to the Chinese market.

• 视频检查 / virtual inspection?

- 中国海关总署积极落实，制定了切实可行的准入便利举措：一是对非洲国家提出的农产品准入申请予以优先考虑，在收到相关技术资料后，立即启动风险分析，加快推动检疫准入工作；二是对某些来自同一国家、加工工艺相近的农产品，或来自不同国家的同一种农产品，在风险可控的前提下，合并实施风险评估，加快准入流程；三是对非洲国家已获准输华的农产品生产企业便利注册，采用视频检查或文件审查等灵活方式，加快评估和注册等。?

The General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) has actively followed up on that and formulated specific and practical measures to facilitate easier access to the Chinese market. The first measure is to consider African countries’ market access applications for agricultural products on a priority basis. Once the technical materials are received, the GACC will immediately start risk assessment and proceed with the work on quarantine access expeditiously. The second measure is to combine the risk assessments for certain agricultural products from the same country with similar processing techniques, and for the same type of agricultural products originating in different countries, provided that the risk is under control. The third measure is to make the registration easier for African companies whose agricultural products have gained market access, using flexible methods like virtual inspection or document review to speed up assessment and registration, for instance.

• 价值观外交 / values-based diplomacy?

- 声称所谓“人权高于主权”，实质是在图谋干涉别国内政；推行所谓“价值观外交”，其实是打着人权的幌子逼迫各国选边站队；强推所谓“民主改造”，结果却造成动乱冲突和人道灾难。?

The claim that “human rights is above sovereignty” is nothing but a false pretext for interfering in others’ internal affairs. The idea of so-called values-based diplomacy is nothing but a cover for forcing other countries to pick a side in the name of human rights. Forced democratic transformation has achieved nothing but turmoil, conflict and humanitarian disaster.

• 打着手电筒只照别人不照自己 / holding a flashlight only to check out on the behavior of others and not themselves?

- 一些西方国家热衷当人权“法官”，打着手电筒只照别人不照自己，对发展中国家人权状况指手画脚，对本国和盟友的人权劣迹视而不见，要共同拒绝这种双重标准、共同抵制这种搞选择性失明的做法。?

Some Western countries see themselves as the judge on human rights, criticizing while oblivious to the human rights problems of themselves and their allies, like holding a “flashlight” only to check out on the behavior of others and not themselves. Countries need to jointly say no to such double standards and to such selective oblivion.

Read in parallel: https://tinyurl.com/3a6vpfxz