Director of international division of Chinese Foreign Ministry Li Junhua(C) holds a briefing of the 19th Human Rights Dialogue in Washington, Aug. 15, 2015. China and the United States have held the 19th Human Rights Dialogue here to discuss the human rights situations in both countries and exchanged views in a candid and professional manner, the Chinese delegation said Friday. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 -- China and the United States have held the 19th Human Rights Dialogue here to discuss the human rights situations in both countries and exchanged views in a candid and professional manner, the Chinese delegation said Friday.

The two sides exchanged views in depth in a candid and professional manner on the new developments in the human rights situations in both countries, legal and conceptual perspectives of human rights, multifaceted cooperation in the human rights sphere, rights and commitments of the freedom of speech, religious freedom, anti-racism, counterterrorism and fighting violent extremism, among other things, the delegation said in a news release.

It was agreed that the dialogue helped enhance mutual understanding on each other's human rights issues.

The Chinese delegation stressed at the dialogue that each country should choose its own path of human rights development suiting one's national realities and the demand of its people, which should not be imposed upon by other countries.

China and the U.S. should take a comprehensive and objective view on each other's human rights situation and handle their differences in a constructive way through dialogues and cooperation, to facilitate the developing of a new type of major-country relationship between the two countries, said the Chinese delegation.

During the talks, the Chinese side pointed out the human rights problems in the U.S., such as racial discrimination, excessive use of force by police, and the violation of the human rights of other countries through massive surveillance activities.

The dialogue was attended by dozens of senior officials from a number of government bureaus, including law enforcement departments.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Chinese ambassador to the U.S. Cui Tiankai also attended the event and made remarks at the opening ceremony on Thursday.

The dialogue was co-hosted by Li Junhua, director-general of International Organizations and Conference of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tom Malinowski, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human rights and Labor.