Qian made the remarks during his meeting with Mary Robinson, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights.

According to a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Qian told Robinson that terrorism, a threat to world peace and security and a crude violation of human rights, should be firmly cracked down.

But he said that in the long term, the issue of development still ranks among the most serious challenges the international community faces.

Concrete measures should be taken to achieve balanced and sustainable development, he added.

Robinson arrived in Beijing on Sunday for a three-day visit, the seventh to China in her current capacity. Apart from the meeting with Qian, Robinson also attended a workshop for lawyers and judges Monday which she said would "open a new area of human rights cooperation'' between her office and China.

She will also evaluate cooperation between the two sides under a memorandum of understanding signed two years ago.

Under the two-year programme, China and the UN agency have carried out cooperation in judicial administration, human rights education, legal system building, the right of development and economic, social and cultural rights.

Qian, speaking highly of Robinson's efforts in promoting dialogues and exchanges in international human rights protection, was quoted Monday as describing the cooperation between China and the high commissioner's office as "fruitful.''

Robinson, who is to be succeeded by Brazilian Sergio Vieira de Mello in September, appreciated the Chinese Government's active participation in dialogues and cooperation in international human rights protection.

She vowed to continue to follow the country's development, according to the Chinese spokesman.

This echoed her speech earlier at the workshop. On that occasion, the High Commissioner pledged that her office will continue its efforts to cooperate with the Chinese Government.

(Xinhua News Agency August 20, 2002)