China and the United states will hold a new round of human rights talks in Washington, D.C. on July 23 and 24, according to a Friday news release from the Foreign Ministry.

Chen Xu, director general of the ministry's Department of International Organizations and Conferences, will co-chair the dialogue with Michael Posner, assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor of the United States, said the release.

China is willing to discuss and exchange views on human rights issues with the United States on the basis of equality and mutual respect, it said.

The two countries held a round of human rights talks in Beijing in April last year, discussing issues of common concern, including new developments in both countries regarding human rights.

(Xinhua News Agency July 20, 2012)