CHENGDU - The study of human rights has experienced a boom in China over the past few years as the government pushes for development of the country's own rights theory, officials said Wednesday.

The number of institutes for studying human rights in China has grown to nearly 50 since the first were set up in the early 1990s, said Luo Haocai, president of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, at a workshop held in the southwestern city of Chengdu.

The Ministry of Education in April also approved the establishment of human rights education and training centers at three key universities in Beijing, Tianjin and Guangzhou. Law schools in more than 100 universities and colleges have set up rights courses, Luo said.

Dong Yunhu, deputy head of the State Council Information Office, said it is an important principle for the Communist Party of China and the government to respect and protect human rights, which form a key part of ?"socialist core values."

Dong said rights scholars should strive to be innovative and develop China's own rights theory based on its history, cultural tradition and experience.