Engaging in Human Rights Diplomacy: The Australia-China Bilateral Dialogue Approach

摘要

Through adopting the bilateral human rights dialogue process in 1997, Australia changed its human rights policy regarding China from public support for resolutions on China at the UN Commission on Human Rights to private annual meetings on human rights issues and a technical cooperation programme (TCP). With its aim of bringing about practical improvements in human rights through training activities for Chinese officials, the TCP has become the centrepiece of Australia's human rights policy on China. According to the spiral model of Thomas Risse, Stephen Ropp and Kathryn Sikkink, support for the growth of Chinese human rights NGOs is considered necessary to encourage the Chinese government to bring about further human rights improvements. Cross-cultural dialogue is one method that may contribute to this. While TCP training activities have largely been cross-cultural exercises, these activities have mostly engaged with Chinese government officials and not Chinese human rights NGOs, limiting their support for these groups. However, the TCP's engagement with middle-level and some senior Chinese officials gives it some potential to support reformist elements within the Chinese government.