1. Political relations
China and Mauritania established diplomatic relations on July
19, 1965. Mauritania has always been friendly to China. It sticks
to the "one China" principle, and opposes Taiwan's entry into the
United Nations. Since Li Denghui concocted the so-called Theory of
Two Chinas, Mauritania has reiterated its "one China" stand. China
and Mauritania share identical or similar views on many major
international issues, rendering long-term support to each other and
taking concerted actions in international affairs. Mauritania
actively supports China's entry into WTO. China has always
expressed appreciation to Mauritania for pursuing of a foreign
policy of peace, neutrality, non-alignment and good-neighborliness
and supports Mauritania in its effort to safeguard its sovereignty
and develop the national economy. In June 1999, China and
Mauritania signed the Agreement on Holding Regular Political
Consultations between the Foreign Ministries of the two
countries.
Major exchange of? visits include:
China: Vice Premier Li Peng (May 1984), Vice Chairman of the
Standing Committee of National People's Congress Wu Jieping (May
1995), Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Qian Qichen (Jan.1997),
Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan (Feb. 2000) and Vice Chairman Li
Guixian of the CPPCC (July,2000), In 2002, Chinese Vice Minister of
Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Zhou Keren visited
Mauritania, In 2002, Wang Zhaoyue, Deputy Secretary of the Anhui
Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, visited
Mauritania.
Mauritania: President Daddah (Oct.1967, Sept.1974 and April
1977), Chairman of National Military Committee Haidallah (May
1980), President Taya (Feb.1986, Sept.1993), Minister of Fishery
and Maritime Economy Dah (Dec.1993), Chairman of National Assembly
Baba and General Secretary of the Ruling Party Boubacar(April
1997), Minister of Equipment and Transportation Deyna(July
1997),Chief of General Staff Colonel Boukhreiss (June 1998),
Minister of Public Office, Labor, Youth and Sports Sidi(Oct.1998),
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Ahmed (June 1999),
Minister of Fishery and Maritime Economy (Oct. 1999), Minister of
Trade, Handicraft and Tourism (April, 2000), General Secretary of
the Democratic Social Republican Party(June, 2000), Minister of
Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Ahmed (Oct. 2000) and Minister of
Economic Affairs and Development (Oct.
2000).????
2. Economic and trade relations and economic and
technical cooperation
Since 1967, China has provided a certain amount of economic
assistance to Mauritania.
Since 1982, Chinese companies have begun to undertake contracted
projects in Mauritania, focusing mainly on farmlands and water
conservancy projects. Chinese laborers are mainly involved in
Mauritania's fishery fields.
China-Mauritania cooperation in fishery began in 1991 and the
Agreement on Fishery Cooperation between Chinese and Mauritanian
government was signed in August the same year.
Trade Relations between China and Mauritania was initiated in
1964 and the two governments signed agreement on cash trade in
1967. In 1984 the two governments signed the Agreement on
Establishing Joint Committee of Economy and Trade between China and
Mauritania. The volume of trade between China and Mauritania in
2001 was US$34,240,000. The main commodities China exports to
Mauritania are tea, textile, light industrial products and
machinery and electronic products. Arabic glue is the main product
China imports from Mauritania.
3. Exchanges and cooperation in culture, education,
public health and sports
The two countries signed the agreement on cultural cooperation
between Chinese and Mauritanian government in 1967. Currently,
there are altogether 15 Mauritanian students in China.
China began to send medical teams to Mauritania in June 1968.
The first Chinese medical station was set up in Mauritania in Nov
1977. There are altogether 27 people in the Chinese medical team
currently in Mauritania, which is so far the 22nd that China has
ever sent to Mauritania and working at 4 stations in Nouakchott,
Kiffa and Selibabi.
(Chinese Foreign Ministry October 10, 2006)