US, China clash at UN rights forum on Beijing text

China and the United States clashed on Friday at the UN Human Rights Council, where the US delegation rejected a resolution brought by Beijing that it said sought to glorify Xi Jinping's "win-win" approach.

US diplomat Jason Mack called for a vote on China's text on "mutually beneficial cooperation", which was then easily adopted by the 47-member forum. The US delegation cast the only "no" vote, while Britain, Japan, and Australia were among those abstaining.

"The 'feel good' language about mutually beneficial cooperation is intended to benefit autocratic states at the expense of people whose human rights and fundamental freedoms we are all obligated as states to respect," Mack said.

Referring to Chinese spokespeople, he added: "They have been clear about their intent to glorify their head of state by inserting his thoughts into the international human rights lexicon."