Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang made the request at a press briefing when commenting on U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad's statement on Dec. 10, International Human Rights Day, in which the ambassador said he has witnessed China's "tremendous progress in many areas," while also making a groundless accusation concerning China's human rights situation.

 

"It is impossible to accurately understand other countries while holding prejudice and thus enhance mutual trust," said Lu.

 

The U.S. standard is a "one-size-fits-all", which is blind, and such a standard has proved to be a failure in many parts of the world, said Lu.

 

During German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier's recent visit to China, some German reports said the German leader touched on human rights issues when meeting with Chinese leaders.

 

When commenting on relevant questions, Lu said China holds an open attitude towards exchanges and dialogue on human rights on the basis of mutual respect.

 

Lu noted that Sino-German exchanges and cooperation cover a wide range of fields, including human rights protection, immigrant issues, and challenges brought by digital development.

 

He said as China and Germany differ in history, culture, development and social systems, their views on some issues may not be exactly the same. However, as long as the two sides insist on mutual respect and treat each other as equals, constructive talks and friendly exchanges can be carried out.