Reframing human rights in Russia and China: an international law perspective

In 2016 Russia and China issued a 'Joint Declaration on the Promotion of International Law' in an attempt to ‘systematise’ their approach to international law. By reaffirming long-held views, both countries sent a clear message to the entire international community: Russia’s and China’s ‘own political identity’ needs to be integrated into the interpretation of every field of international law. The analysis carried out in this chapter on the role and understanding of human rights ‘as a matter of international law’ in Russia and China stems, and cannot be read apart, from this important official stance, as well as from the position conferred by both countries to individuals in society.