BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhuanet) -- China and Australia approved the Human Rights Joint Technical Cooperation Program for 2005 to 2006 in Beijing Monday, and expressed their wish to cooperate in such fields as poverty relief, teenagers' rights, democracy in communities and ethnic minority affairs.

    Shen Guofang, Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister, said at the event that China-Australia human rights dialogue has moved into "an in-depth, practical and dynamic track of development".

    "The cooperation on the issue will not only help improve the human rights protection work in the two countries, but also enrich bilateral ties", Shen noted.

    Shen's view was echoed by Geoff Raby, Australia's Deputy Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade who is heading the dialogue delegation. He said Australia highly values cooperation with China on international human rights protection, and China has achieved remarkable progress in the cause.

    According to Dong Yunhu, vice-chairman and secretary-general of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, China has been playing a more active role in international human rights by promoting human rights dialogues and communication with foreign countries.

    In 2004 alone, China had human rights dialogues and consultations with Australia, Canada, Britain, the European Union,Norway, Germany, and Holland, strengthened communication in the field with such developing countries as Eritrea, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Laos, and hosted a series of seminars and workshop on human rights issues.

    Dong also indicated that China made contributions to the human rights cause within the framework of the United Nations (UN), as China has been consecutively elected and appointed a member of theUN Commission on Human Rights since 1981.

    "All these efforts China has made to boost domestic and international human rights have been widely acknowledged," Dong said.

    The white paper titled "China's Progress in Human Rights in 2004" published by the Information Office of the State Council this April said a set of effective projects were jointly launched by China and the UN in the field of human rights, with the "Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation" signed between the twosides in 2000.

    In 2004, China held a seminar on the questionnaire of the UN Independent Expert on Violence Against Children, gave an honest, detailed answer to it, and submitted it to the United Nations, together with the UNICEF's office in China. In December 2004, China submitted to the United Nations its answer to the questionnaire on child pornography on the Internet based on careful study.

    Lin Bocheng, vice-chairman of the China Foundation for Human Rights Development said China also actively participated in writing international legal documents on human rights. In January and September 2003, the Chinese government sent specialists to attend the drafting course of "Legally Binding Normative Instruments for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances," and the "Convention on the Rights of Persons withDisabilities." So far, China has attended 21 international conventions on human rights.

    On December 10, 2003, Julian Hunte, chairman of the 59th Session of the UN General Assembly, presented the United Nations Human Rights Award to Deng Pufang, chairman of the China Federation of the Disabled. "It was the first time such an award had been given to a Chinese as well as the first time it had been presented to a handicapped person," said Lin, adding that "it was also an appreciation of the international community for years of efforts made by China in promoting and protecting human rights."

    Since 1991, China has published eight white papers on human rights, giving a dynamic view of the human rights cause in China with large amount of facts and figures. "The white papers also powerfully rebutted the criticism by some Western countries," Dongstressed.

    With governmental exchange and cooperation in the field of human rights strengthened, China's non-governmental organizations also carried out wide-ranging communication with foreign counterparts.

    "A dialogue platform on human rights among government, non-government organizations and human rights organizations has been established, to make the rest of the world learn more about the achievements in China," Lin said. Enditem