At the invitation of the Chinese Government, Madame Katarina Tomasevski, special rapporteur on the right to education of the UN Commission on Human Rights paid a visit to China from September 9 to 20, 2003. Zhang Xinsheng, Vice Minister of Education and Shen Guofang, Assistant Foreign Minister met with her on separate occasions. Tomasevski held talks respectively with officials from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Justice, the State Ethnic Affairs Commission, China Disabled Persons' Federation and All China Women's Federation. She also talked with some scholars and visited the People's University, China Women's University, Number 80 Middle School of Beijing, School for Muslims, Xizongbu Primary School, Number 2 School for the Deaf and Beijing Rehabilitation Center for Juvenile Delinquents. Tomasevski expressed appreciation for China's efforts to realize the people's right to education and the importance it attaches to education.  She also offered her opinions and suggestions regarding China's education.

The Chinese side told her that China attaches importance to the role of the UN human rights mechanism, has had close cooperation with it, and has supported the work of the special rapporteur on the right to education. The Chinese Government has made unremitting efforts to realize its people's right to education since the country began to implement the reform and opening-up policy more than 20 years ago. The Chinese Government has set forth the strategy of invigorating the country with science and technology and education, has increased the investment in education, and made remarkable achievements. However, China, as a developing country, has to do more to realize the education right, and China would like to draw on the experience of the international community in this regard. The Chinese side will study Tomasevski's opinions and suggestions regarding China's education in earnest.