A/HRC/32/11 56. Armenia recognized the challenges that Palau faced as a small island State and appreciated the steps taken to promote human rights in the country since its first review review. It welcomed Palau’s awareness-raising programmes on certain areas of human rights and hoped that they would be further expanded. Armenia welcomed the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and encouraged the timely ratification of those international human rights instruments that Palau has already signed. 57. Australia congratulated Palau on strengthening its laws to protect family members against violence with the passing of the Family Protection Act in 2012, which criminalizes domestic violence. It also commended the steps taken to decriminalize homosexuality with the introduction in 2014 of legislation to remove offences relating to consensual same-sex relations. Australia welcomed Palau’s signing of several international human rights treaties and commended its ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was also pleased to be working with Palau in the Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development programme. 58. Belgium encouraged Palau’s commitment regarding the 2015 declaration of the Pacific States on human rights and the rule of law. While welcoming the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Belgium encouraged the ratification of all the core human rights instruments and stressed the need to submit reports to treaty bodies in due time. Belgium noted that Palau did not have a national body to coordinate policies to protect children. It welcomed the measures taken to combat domestic violence and violence against children, while noting that further measures should be taken. 59. Brazil praised the efforts carried out since the first cycle of the universal periodic review to improve the situation of human rights in Palau. It noted with appreciation the amendments to the Penal Code in 2014, which decriminalizes sexual relations between consenting adults of the same sex, a positive step towards the realization of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons in the country. It also congratulated Palau for ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2012, followed by consultations, in partnership with the Pacific Disability Forum and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, aimed at drafting a national disability policy. 60. Canada acknowledged the steps taken to develop a national gender policy and encouraged Palau to use the process to promote national dialogue and awareness-raising on the issue of gender equality in decision-making at the highest levels of Government and Congress. It encouraged Palau to develop policies to promote women’s participation in national decision-making structures and processes. Canada commended Palau for enacting the Family Protection Act and encouraged it to raise awareness through public education to ensure greater understanding of its provisions. 61. China urged the international community to follow the fundamental principles established in Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and to carry out constructive dialogue and cooperation. It stated that it was most regretful that, in its national report, Palau had treated the Taiwan Province of China as a country partner and had refused to correct the mistake although China had repeatedly drawn its attention to the issue. Palau’s behaviour constituted a violation of General Assembly resolution 2758 and departed from the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. It considered it a serious violation of China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and against the principle of nonpoliticization of the universal periodic review process. China was resolutely against this practice and reserved the right to take further measures in this regard. 62. On the statement made by China, the Vice-President of the Human Rights Council reiterated that in the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, as a subsidiary body of the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly, United Nations terminology applied. 10