By Jia Chunyang

贾春阳

On Tuesday, local time, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to withdraw the US from and end the funding to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

当地时间2月4日，美国总统特朗普签署行政令，宣布美国退出联合国人权理事会，并停止向联合国人权理事会提供资金。

During Trump's first term, the US frequently withdrew from international organizations and treaties. In June 2018, Trump announced US withdrawal from the UNHRC. Back then, the US also withdrew from organizations and agreements such as the Paris Agreement, the Iran Nuclear Deal, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Now, after announcing US withdrawal from the WHO and the Paris Agreement on January 20, 2025 , the very day of assuming office, Trump once again sounded the horn of withdrawal.

在特朗普的第一任期，美国就曾频繁“退群”“毁约”。2018年6月，特朗普宣布美国退出联合国人权理事会。当时，美国还退出了《巴黎协定》、“伊核协议”、“跨太平洋伙伴关系协定”（TPP）、《中导条约》、世界卫生组织、联合国教科文组织等组织或协定。如今，继2025年1月20日上任当日宣布退出世界卫生组织、《巴黎协定》之后，特朗普再次吹响了“退群”号角。

Regarding US withdrawal from the UNHRC this time, Trump's excuses are that "some of the UN's agencies and bodies have drifted from this mission and instead act contrary to the interests of the United States while attacking our allies and propagating anti-Semitism," and that "UNHRC has protected human rights abusers by allowing them to use the organization to shield themselves from scrutiny." In the so-called Fact Sheet published on the White House website on the same day, the US labeled the UNHRC as "an anti-American organization," accusing that it "has not fulfilled its purpose and continues to be used as a protective body for countries committing horrific human rights violations," and claimed that it "has demonstrated consistent bias against Israel, focusing on it unfairly and disproportionately in council proceedings." The US also once again accused countries like Iran, China, and Cuba of "human rights violations and abuses."

对于美国此番再次退出联合国人权理事会，特朗普的理由是“联合国一些机构和组织偏离了使命，违背了美国利益，攻击我们的盟友并宣扬反犹太主义”“联合国人权理事会保护了侵犯人权者，允许他们利用该组织来保护自己免受审查”。在白宫网站同日发布的所谓“事实说明”中，美国又给联合国人权理事会贴上了“反美组织”标签，指责联合国人权理事会“未能履行其使命，成为犯下可怕侵犯人权行为国家的保护机构”“对以色列存在偏见，在理事会议事过程中不公平且不公正地关注以色列”，并借机老调重弹地污蔑伊朗、中国和古巴等国“侵犯和践踏人权”。

Apparently, the excuses given by the White House for US withdrawal, especially the so-called "scrutiny," are filled with US-style "arrogance and prejudice." As an intergovernmental body within the UN system, the UNHRC is made up of 47 member states, and its main responsibility is to strengthen the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide, address human rights violations, and make recommendations on these issues. While the UNHRC is not perfect in its operations, it serves as an important platform for countries to engage in candid exchanges, constructive dialogue, and cooperation on human rights issues. It is also an important mechanism for promoting the common development of various countries and mutual learning among civilizations.

显然，白宫给出的“退群”理由，特别是所谓“审查”，充满了美式“傲慢与偏见”。作为联合国系统内的政府间机构，联合国人权理事会由47个成员国组成，专责在全球范围内加强促进和保护人权的工作，解决侵犯人权的状况并就此提出建议。联合国人权理事会在运作过程中虽不完美，但总体而言，它既是各国就人权议题进行坦诚交流、建设性对话与合作的重要平台，也是推动世界各国共同发展、文明互鉴的重要机制。

The US only recognizes organizations like the UNHRC as the "embodiment of international rules" and acknowledges their "important roles" when they suit US interests. That's also a prerequisite for the US to participate in related activities. Clearly, human rights issues are merely a tool for the US to engage in international political struggles. The US uses organizations like the UNHRC and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) as instruments to launch public opinion attacks and besiege other countries in diplomacy. When the US feels that the UNHRC is no longer under its control or has "violated US interests," it would put the blame on the organization and even labels it as "anti-American," fabricating flimsy excuses to justify its withdrawal.

联合国人权理事会等机构，只有在符合美国利益时，才会被美国认定为“国际规则的化身”，承认其“重要作用”，并参加机构的相关活动。显然，人权议题只是美国进行国际政治斗争的手段，将联合国人权理事会、人权高专办等用作舆论攻击、外交围攻他国的工具。当发现联合国人权理事会脱离美国掌控或认为已经“违背美国利益”之时，美国便对其横加指责，甚至贴上“反美组织”的标签，编织各种上不了台面的由头为自身“退群”开脱。

Protecting and promoting human rights is a common cause for humanity, which requires active participation and concerted efforts from all countries. As a founding member of the UN and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the US should shoulder its responsibility as a major country, play a positive role in the protection and development of human rights worldwide, and work with other countries to ensure that mechanisms like the UNHRC operate impartially and objectively. Constantly withdrawing from international organizations and treaties or turning bodies like the UNHRC into arenas for political manipulation and bloc confrontation is an irresponsible approach.

保护和促进人权是全人类的共同事业，需要世界各国的积极参与和共同努力。美国作为联合国创始成员国和安理会常任理事国，理应发挥大国应有的担当，在保护和促进全球人权发展方面发挥积极作用，并与世界各国一道推动联合国人权理事会等机制公正客观地开展工作。动辄“毁约”“退群”，或将人权理事会等联合国人权机制作为政治操弄和阵营对抗的角斗场，均是不负责任之举。

(The author is a research fellow at the Institute of American Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.)

（作者系中国现代国际关系研究院美国研究所研究员）

Editor's Note: Originally published on china.com.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.