A delegation of the China Society for Human Rights Studies (CSHRS) visited New York City from June 16 to 19, exchanging views with several U.S. non-governmental organizations, academic groups and media on human rights issues.

During the visit, the Chinese delegation held discussions with such organizations as the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations, U.S. Asia Society, China Institute in America Inc., Columbia University's Human Rights research center, and the Wall Street Journal.

During the discussions, Dong Yunhu, head of the Chinese delegation, briefed U.S. participants about China's human rights conditions. The Chinese government has made tremendous efforts to promote the country's democracy and legal construction and safeguard citizens' political rights, and remarkable progress has been made in this regard, Dong said.

In recent years, China has attached greater importance to the fostering of human rights in the country and has already enacted a series of important laws including the Supervision Law and the Property Law, which are instrumental in strengthening supervision and control over public power and safeguarding people's political rights, Dong said.

During the visit, the delegation also had discussions with the American side on the issues of strengthening human rights protection, human rights awareness, freedom of the press and media's social obligation, judicial independence, and the relationship between international protection of human rights and non-interference in internal affairs.

The Chinese delegation also briefed U.S. participants about issues concerning China's efforts to protect peasants' rights and interests, freedom of speech, religious freedom, the Tibet issue, the Darfur issue, as well as the efforts to clear up the misunderstanding between China and the United States over human rights issues.

The U.S. participants said the discussions would help promote understanding of each other's views on human rights issues.

This is the first time that the CSHRS sent a delegation to the United States. The delegation leaves New York for Chicago on Wednesday.

Source: Xinhua