Chinese and Australian officials and experts attended a seminar in Honghe, an autonomous prefecture in China's Southwestern Yunnan Province, Wednesday and Thursday to discuss the rights of the ethnic minorities of their countries.

More than 50 officials at the seminar, which was held in the prefecture for Hani and Yi ethnic groups, agreed to further increase cooperation, according to sources of the Chinese foreign ministry.

The seminar was sponsored by the Chinese foreign ministry and Australian human rights and equal opportunity commission.

The participants conferred on the rights protection of the ethnic groups and indigenous people in domestic economic development, the protection of their social and cultural characteristics, and the role of NGOs and private sectors in the economic growth related to indigenous people and ethnic minorities.

Shen Guofang, Chinese assistant foreign minister, said at the seminar that the Chinese government is trying to secure the decision-making rights of the ethnic groups and ensure that they benefit from economic development.

He noted the Chinese government has also managed to properly handle the relationship between the development and the protection of culture and natural resources in the ethnic group regions.

Chinese ethnic groups and Australian aborigines have much in common, Shen acknowledged. The two countries should pass favorable policies to protect their rights and China would like to work with Australia in this regard.

Honghe Magistrate Bai Chengliang said Honghe prefecture will continue to implement the policy of regional autonomy. The region is trying its best to respect and secure the legal rights of the ethnic groups to achieve the balance between economic growth and the protection of the rights of the ethnic group, he said.