Brussels, 12/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - On the eve of the 58th session of the United Nations' Human right Commission, the General affairs Council adopted conclusions on Monday that refer to the EU's concerns at the constant violations of human rights in China, including freedom of expression, religion and association. The Fifteen recognise "certain progress" made by Beijing regarding democracy, but they also stress the need to keep up the pressure on China. In Geneva, before the UN Human rights Commission, they will express "their deep concern over serious human rights violations in China and lack of progress in several areas". To "improve the situation on the ground," the Union intends in particular pushing China to ratify international commitments to social and cultural rights and on civil and political rights, to o-operate more closely with United Nations mechanisms in the field of human rights, to limit the use of the death sentence in the perspective of its abolition, to reform the administrative detention system, to respect prisoners' rights, including that of not being tortured, to respect the freedom of expression, religion and association (notably trade union), and respect cultural identity of religious freedoms in Tibet and Xinjiang.