China, Australia exchange views on human rights issue

The first Sino-Australia Urban Community Construction and Human Rights Development Symposium opened in Wuxi, east China's Jiangsu province, on Wednesday, bringing together around 50 experts, scholars and government representatives from the two countries to discuss human rights issues.

Over three days, experts will exchange views on how to develop democracy in urban communities and the community's role in protecting human rights.

The meeting is being co-held by the China Foundation for Human Rights Development, the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and the Information Office of the Jiangsu Provincial Government.

Yang Zhengquan, executive vice-chairman of the China Foundation for Human Rights Development, said that the Chinese government has given priority to the building of harmonious communities, which are the bases of a harmonious society.

There are many similarities between the construction of urban communities and the development of human rights. The construction of a community should put the people first and human rights development is an important element of community construction, said Yang.

The community offers a platform for the development of human rights and is an effective grassroots organization to protect human rights, Yang said.

"China will strengthen and expand exchanges and cooperation with Australia, as well as other countries, in human rights issues," Yang said.

Vanessa Jackson, project manager of the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, said the Australian experts are looking forward to the opportunity to hear how neighborhood committees in Chinese cities are operating, and the progress they have been making.

"By working with each other, we might make some very important advances in the protection and promotion of democracy and human rights in our respective countries," Jackson said.

Some experts attending the symposium said that with the rapid economic growth, many social problems, such as unemployment, a growing income gap, inadequate education for children of migrant workers and an ageing society, have emerged in China in recent years. They believe neighborhood committees have played important roles in solving the problems.

Neighborhood committees in Chinese cities have undergone changes in recent years. Solving social problems and protecting the rights of community residents will become the major tasks for the construction of community, said experts.

Source: Xinhua