HANGZHOU, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- An academic seminar on human rights cooperation between China and Africa took place on Wednesday in the city of Jinhua, east China's Zhejiang Province, marking World Human Rights Day.

Held at Zhejiang Normal University, the event convened nearly 100 experts and scholars from diverse fields to explore topics ranging from the four major global initiatives proposed by China and global human rights governance to China-Africa practical cooperation.

"Protection of human rights is the common aspiration of people from all countries and the core cornerstone of building a community with a shared future for humanity," said Zhang Jianzhen, vice president of Zhejiang Normal University.

During the seminar, the China-Africa Human Rights Research Think-Tank Cooperation Network was officially launched, while the China-Africa Human Rights Research Center was inaugurated at the university's Institute of African Studies.

Shen Yongxiang, vice president of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, hailed the launch as being "of great significance," and added that "high-quality research results that are forward-looking, constructive and operational would be expected to spread the voice of China and Africa working together to promote human rights and common development."  ■