BEIJING - Attaining full human rights for people is a shared goal of the humanity, President Xi Jinping said in a congratulation letter to the Beijing Forum on Human Rights, which began on Wednesday.

More than 100 officials and human rights experts from more than 30 countries and regions will attend the two-day forum.

The theme of the forum, "peace and development: victory of World Anti-Fascist War and human rights advancement" is quite fitting as the world is celebrating the 70th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, Xi said in the letter.

The theme will prompt deeper thinking from all parties on people's right to peace and development, he said.

Chinese people, having gone through much suffering in modern times, know all too well the value of people, basic human rights and human dignity. They cherish a peaceful environment for development, he wrote.

China will unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development and uphold human right causes of both China and the world at large, Xi said. The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government have always honored and protected human rights, Xi said.

China has applied universal principles of human rights while taking consideration of its own circumstances, Xi said.

China has been promoting economic and social development, improving people's well-being, and toughening legal protection of human rights, among other efforts. As a result, the protection over people's rights to strive and develop has been remarkably heightened.

Xi also called for closer international exchanges and cooperation in the field of human rights.

The annual event was first held in 2008 and has become a key platform for human rights exchanges among different countries, ethnicities and cultures.