China, EU hold human rights dialogue in SW China

GUIYANG - China and the European Union exchanged in-depth views on human rights issues during the 32nd round of the EU-China Dialogue on Human Rights in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou province.

The two-day dialogue that opened on Monday was co-chaired by Li Junhua, director-general of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, and Gerhard Sabathil, director for North-East Asia and the Pacific at the European External Action Service of the EU.

China and the EU introduced the latest progress they have made in human rights-related issues and exchanged views on issues such as cooperation in the fields of human rights, minoritiy and criminal punishment.

Li said at a Tuesday press conference after the dialogue that China has carried out human rights dialogues with nearly 20 countries and organizations.

He suggested that China and the EU adhere to three basic principles on the mode of development in the field of human rights -- namely, upholding the spirit of equality and mutual respect, pinpointing the dialogue goals the two sides expect to achieve and addressing differences properly.

Sabathil said the EU-China human rights dialogue has entered a comparatively mature stage. He also expressed the hope that the next round of the human rights dialogue will be held in Brussels by the end of this year.

Both parties said the frank and in-depth dialogue enhanced mutual understanding.