The Beijing Forum on Human Rights Provides a Platform for Different Opinions

China has made historic progress in the field of human rights since the founding of the People's Republic 60 years ago.

Wang Chen, minister of the State Council Information Center, spoke about the country's constantly improving legislation regarding human rights at the forum. Meanwhile, he didn't shun the challenges facing the most populated developing country.

"China is a developing country with a huge population of 1.3 billion with an unbalanced economy and immature social development. As a result, we can see clearly that there are still many difficulties and challenges in human rights development in China, and promoting an all-around human rights development is a long-term and difficult mission of the Chinese Government and its people."

Wang expected the forum to provide an open platform for frank discussions of different opinions that will contribute to the harmonious development and enhancement of human rights worldwide.

With strong command of the Chinese language, law professor from Switzerland Harro Von Senger also believes the forum and its participants from different hemispheres of the world will help broaden the horizons of human rights.

"The right to development is very important and basic human right. I think development must be considered broader. Development is also development of healthy environment, good infrastructure, good schools, and so on. If one speaks harmonious development that means many things are not harmoniums. So I'm sure this conference will heighten the problem of consciousness and I think the conference has an effect of sensibilization."

A particularly heated topic between Chinese and foreign human rights academics is the situation of China's ethnic populations. A law expert from Beijing-based Minzu University of China, Professor Han Xiaobing, expects those discussions will generate more opportunities for frank communication.

"For the most part, the misperception is a result of a communication disconnection. I'd love to share my knowledge with my foreign colleagues from the perspective of how Chinese legislation helps to improve human rights for ethnic communities. At the same time, I hope my foreign colleagues will be able to take more chances to travel to Tibet or other ethnic habitats so they will see what changes are really taking place in those places."

Han believes the communication will also help empower the individual to be aware of and protect his or her entitled rights.

Wang Ling CRI news.