China and the European Union (EU) held the 25th round of the China-EU Human Rights Dialogue in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, from May 15 to 16, 2008. The dialogue was co-chaired by Wu Hailong, Director-General of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and Ondina Blokar Drobič, Director-General of the International Law and Protection of Interests Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia, the rotating president of EU and attended by officials from the Supreme People's Court, the Ministry of Public Security, the Information Office of the State Council, the Tibet Autonomous Region, China Tibetology Research Center, the Chinese Embassy in Slovenia, the EU Commission, the European Council, Slovenia and France, the next rotating president of EU. The Chinese delegation also met with State Secretary Andrej Šter of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia and visited the communities where minority groups are most concentrated in Slovenia.

China and EU respectively introduced their latest progress in the area of human rights and discussed a wide range of issues including freedom of expression, media responsibilities, peaceful assembling rights, rights of minority groups, and international cooperation in human rights. Director-General Wu used data and cases to introduce new measures adopted by China that aim at promoting and protecting human rights from the aspects of democracy, rule of law and the livelihood of the people, and emphasized that the Chinese government is making efforts to promote the building of democratic politics in an all-round manner, deepen the reform in the judicial system and resolve issues closely linked with the livelihood of the people such as education, health and social insurance. The EU also introduced its new initiatives aimed at promoting human rights. The EU side said that the Treaty of Lisbon, the new EU treaty, has introduced substantial human rights clauses. The treaty will make the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union legally binding when it comes into effect on January 1, 2009. The charter, on the basis of the European Convention on Human Rights, increased the human rights of the second and third generations such as housing and clean environment, set up a fundamental rights supervision bureau and formulated guidelines for children's right. The EU side also introduced their positions and measures on the slander on such issues as the religion of Islam, racism and exclusivism at the request of the Chinese side.

Both sides agreed that the dialogue was constructive and helpful for narrowing down differences and increasing mutual understanding. Both sides agreed to carry out dialogues and exchanges on human rights on the basis of equality and mutual respect and push the comprehensive strategic partnership forward. Both sides agreed in principle to hold the next round of human rights dialogue in Beijing in the latter half of this year.