China, Canada and Norway will hold a symposium on human rights at the end of this year to further cooperation in this field, an official from the Chinese Foreign Ministry told Xinhua in Beijing on Friday.

The China-Canada-Norway Plural Symposium on Human Rights will also invite more than 20 countries in the Asia-Pacific region to participate, a senior official from the International Organization and Conference Department said at the 9th China-Norway Round Table on Human Rights and the Rule of Law.

Government officials and lawyers from the two countries held in-depth and frank discussions on how to protect the rights of workers, prisoners, detainees and minority groups during the two-day meeting held on June 8-9. Both sides also agreed to hold the 10th roundtable in Norway next year.

Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai said the human rights roundtable has promoted mutual understanding and expanded the consensus between China and Norway since it was founded in 1997.

The Chinese government has always made active efforts in protecting the human rights of the Chinese people, and has learned advanced concepts from other countries, Cui said.

He added China, as a newly-elected member of the UN Human Rights Council, will implement international human rights pacts and obligations, and play a constructive role in international human rights affairs.

State Secretary of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Raymond Johansen spoke highly of China's achievements.

He said the roundtable has enhanced the cooperation between the two countries in this field and also strengthened bilateral relations, adding that Norway is willing to work with China to further cooperate in human rights.

(Xinhua News Agency June 10, 2006)