Zhou Shuchun, executive vice-president of the China Foundation for Human Rights Development (CFHRD), led a delegation on a visit to Portugal from September 7 to 9. During the visit, the delegation held extensive and in-depth discussions on human rights and related issues with representatives from the University of Coimbra, the Portuguese think tank “China Observatory,” the Institute of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Lisbon, and other institutions.

The delegation noted that, in the face of a complex and turbulent international situation, Chinese President Xi Jinping has put forward four major global initiatives, offering Chinese wisdom and solutions for addressing global development challenges and reforming and improving global governance. The delegation also gave a detailed introduction to the National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2026–2030), issued by the Chinese government in June this year, and outlined the phased goals, tasks and measures set out in the plan for respecting, protecting and promoting human rights in China.

Portuguese participants spoke highly of China’s achievements in eliminating absolute poverty and safeguarding and improving people’s well-being. They also commended China’s role in addressing global challenges and promoting reform of the global governance system. They agreed that there is no single standard for human rights and that every country has the right to independently choose a development path suited to its own national conditions. They stressed that different civilizations and countries should respect one another, engage in dialogue on an equal footing, and learn from each other through exchanges. The Portuguese participants expressed hope of working with CFHRD to establish an institutionalized platform for human rights exchanges and dialogue, continuously deepen mutual understanding, and contribute to the continued development of friendship between the peoples of Portugal and China.