President Hu Jintao arrived in Victoria, capital of the
Seychelles, Friday on the last leg of his eight-nation African
tour.
Hu is expected to hold talks Saturday with his Seychellois
counterpart James Alix Michel on expanding the mutually-beneficial
cooperation between the two countries.
In a written statement released at the airport upon his arrival,
Hu described the Seychelles as "a shining pearl in the Indian
Ocean."
In recent years, under the leadership of President Michel, he
said, the Seychelles government has steadily advanced reform,
developed tourism, worked to improve people's living standards and
actively pursued international cooperation, achieving remarkable
success.
During the past 30 years of diplomatic ties, China and the
Seychelles have treated each other with respect and equality, and
have made steady progress in their pragmatic cooperation in all
fields, Hu said.
"I look forward to exchanging views with President James Alix
Michel on bilateral relations and other major issues of mutual
interest," he said.
Last November, Michel paid a state visit to China and attended
the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.
Hu's current trip to Africa has already taken him to Cameroon,
Liberia, Sudan, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa and
Mozambique.????
(Xinhua News Agency February 10, 2007)
