China's international exchanges and cooperation involving human rights have expanded and strengthened since its reform and opening up, Chinese human rights experts said Thursday.

Luo Yanhua, professor at the School of International Studies of Beijing-based Peking University, said the country's attitudes have changed regarding participation in international human rights efforts.

From the founding of New China in 1949 to the reform and opening up in the late 1970s, China seldom took part in such activities amid the Cold War and unfavorable diplomatic circumstances, she said.

"Since the reform and opening up, especially from the beginning of the 1990s, China began to take the initiative in this regard," she said.

The country used the international stage to publicize its own stand on human rights, advocate dialogue on the basis of equality, oppose acts of hegemony and enrich the concept of international human rights, she said.

China has taken an active part in the United Nations' work on human rights and drawing up legal documents in this area, she said.

China has approved and joined human rights treaties and conventions and actively conducted dialogues at both the governmental and non-governmental levels with foreign countries, she said.

As of the end of last year, China had signed 25 international human rights conventions and treaties and conducted more than 70 human rights dialogues and exchanges with other countries, according to the State Council (Cabinet) Information Office.

"The enshrinement of human rights in the Constitution in 2004 laid a foundation for further strengthening China's international human rights cooperation," Luo said.

"China adopted a more active and open attitude in international human rights exchanges and cooperation in the new century," she said. "More noticeably, the country ushered in the concept of a harmonious world into the arena."

Dong Yunhu, vice president and secretary general of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, said, "China will actively play its role of a participant or a builder in the international human rights cause instead of the role of a bystander."

"We will work together with the international community to promote healthy development of the human rights cause in the world," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency February 12, 2009)