Australia and China held their eighth round of the annual Human Rights Dialogue in Canberra on Thursday, which both sides described as constructive.

The one-day discussion "marks another important step in the ongoing process of constructive dialogue," said a join statement.

The Chinese delegation was led by Assistant Foreign Minister Shen Guofang and his Australian counterpart was Deputy Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Geoff Raby.
 
The two sides held "candid and in-depth discussions on a series of issues of common interest, including national approaches to human rights, women's and children's rights, rights of ethnic minorities, international cooperation in human rights and Australia-China human rights cooperation," it said.

Both sides recognized that "countries with different social systems, cultures, traditions and levels of economic development have different views on human rights" and that dialogue on the basis of equality and mutual respect helps enhance mutual understanding and encourage progress in both countries.

Both sides maintained that all countries, both developing and developed, are obliged to further promote the protection of human rights, although they may face different challenges when implementing human rights obligations.

The two sides approved the Human Rights Joint Technical Cooperation Program for 2004-05 and expressed their wish to continue human rights technical cooperation.

The bilateral dialogue was established in 1997 to strengthen mutual understanding, discuss human rights issues and identify practical means of cooperation.

(Xinhua News Agency October 22, 2004)