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)