Respect and mutual understanding are key factors needed to
improve the human rights of people across the world, according to
officials and experts attending an international symposium on human
rights that started in Beijing Wednesday.
"We should respect each nation's right to choose its own social
system and way of development independently, respect diversity of
the world and world civilizations, so as to build a harmonious
world accommodating all kinds of civilizations and honouring
everyone's human rights," said Jiang Zhenghua, vice-chairman of
Standing Committee of National People's Congress.
He was addressing officials and academics from home and abroad
at the International Symposium on Respecting and Promoting Human
Rights and Constructing a Harmonious World, sponsored by the China
Society for Human Rights Studies.
"With their varying social systems, levels of development and
historical and cultural backgrounds, different nations certainly
have different modes of human rights development," said Cai Wu,
Director of Information Office of the State Council.
"We should respect such diversity of civilizations and
development modes, promote international exchanges and co-operation
in the field of human rights on a fully equal footing and on the
basis of mutual respect," Cai stressed.
(Xinhua News Agency November 23, 2006)