bian's elected government by inviting leaders of three opposition parties to pay high-profile visits to the mainland, including audiences with top leaders of the ruling Communist Party. On Thursday, Barroso urged China to ratify the United Nations' convention on civil and political rights, which it signed in 1998. "I'm sure such a decision (to ratify the convention) would be very well perceived by the public opinion and the European parliament," he said. He was scheduled to meet President Hu Jintao later on Friday, before travelling on to Shanghai, Hong Kong and Macao. --SP 1240 Local Time 0940 GMT