Human rights in China are the best in the country's history, a senior official said here Tuesday.

Addressing the ninth China-Germany Seminar on Human Rights, Qian Xiaoqian, vice director with the Information Office of the State Council, said: "since 1949 when the new China was founded, China has made historical achievements in its human rights development, especially after the country initiated the reform and opening-up drive 30 years ago."

Respecting and protecting human rights has been written into the country's Constitution and the Constitution of the Communist Party of China as an important aspect of the country's development, he said.

According to Qian, 2008 has been a special year for the Chinese people who successfully hosted the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics and dealt with natural disasters like the May 12 earthquake.

"Our efforts in hosting the Games and fighting earthquakes are clear proof of the government's respect toward life and human rights," he said.

Qian recognized that China is still a developing country and human rights are still undergoing development.

"We maintain that there are various ways for human rights development in different countries. The international community should strengthen cooperation and exchanges in the field of human rights development on a equal and mutually respecting basis, and should settle differences through dialogues," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 22, 2008)