国内英语新闻:China, U.S. aim at cooperative partnership for global benefits

China is always committed to the protection and promotion of human rights and has made enormous progress in this regard, Hu told the press conference.

"China recognizes and respects the universality of human rights. And at the same time, we do believe that we also need to take into account the different national circumstances when it comes to the universal value of human rights," he said.

Noting that China is a developing country with a huge population and in a crucial stage of reform, Hu said that China faces many challenges in its socioeconomic development and that "a lot still needs to be done in China in terms of human rights."

"We will continue our efforts to improve the living standards of the Chinese people and will continue our efforts to promote democracy and the rule of law in our country," Hu said.

China, he added, is also willing to conduct exchanges and dialogues with other countries on human rights on the basis of mutual respect and the principle of non-interference in each other's internal affairs.

"In this way, we'll be able to further increase our mutual understanding, reduce our disagreements and expand our common ground," Hu said.