"The West no longer defends human rights, human dignity, freedom of expression, as it thinks it does, or as it propagates, which is not true. They [Western countries] are shy about human rights" and when it comes to "defending human conditions", opined the most famous Chinese artist.

In an interview with Lusa agency, at his new atelier under construction on the estate in the Alentejo region where he has been living in recent years, in the municipality of Montemor-o-Novo (Évora), Ai Weiwei gives as examples of this critical view towards the West "the two wars that are happening".

One "in Europe, between Russia and Ukraine", and also the one that "is happening in the Middle East", which "have involvement from the West, strong involvement", not only because of the countries that are "sending weapons", but also because they "have a big profit from the war".

"And they don't even want to stop the war", he stressed, considering it "obvious" that, in the face of these scenarios, "the West is not in a position to teach other nations what human rights are, because they just use it as a kind of economic exchange currency, which is very bad".

During today's visit to his estate in the Alentejo region by a group of journalists, regarding his exhibition entitled 'Paradigm', which will be on display at the São Roque Gallery, in Lisbon, starting this Wednesday, the Chinese dissident artist also anticipated to Lusa that the confrontation between the West and China will continue.

"I think, obviously, there will be a continuous confrontation between the United States and China and the West and China, but I think one thing is for sure: China will continue to develop and I don't think the West can stop it", he said.

According to Ai Weiwei, born in 1957, in Beijing, China, "the free economy is kind of a fundamental pillar of Western capitalism", but the real "problem" is "when the West cannot face the competition from China".

Right-wing growing in Portugal? "You have to build in the middle, otherwise [the building] collapses"

Questioned by Lusa about the last legislative elections in Portugal and the increase in the number of deputies from parties on the right of the political spectrum, as well as about the upcoming European elections, the artist said he does not follow national politics.

"Well, I'm not studying Portuguese politics, because I'm building my buildings, but I think, in building buildings, you cannot be right or left, you have to build in the middle, otherwise [the building] collapses", he replied, during the interview held in the building under construction, made of Portuguese tile and European wood walls, wooden pillars and roof and stone floor that he said is local. A construction that he said is conceptual and that he intends to leave empty.

In 2021, also in an interview with Lusa, this time in Porto, Ai Weiwei stressed that one must "respect life, all lives" and that "all lives were created equal by some unknown forces".

Now, in Montemor-o-Novo, the Chinese artist recalled that, as stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, "we are all created equal and we have the same rights, ideally".

"But, in reality, that has never happened and maybe it will never happen. It's something we have to fight for", he defended.

And about whether he continues to make his voice heard in defense of human rights, even though he is in a deserted and not so well-known region like the Alentejo, the artist is assertive: "I think, with the technology today and if our voice has any meaning, it can be heard, no matter where we are".

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