China is willing to make joint efforts with African countries to
make the upcoming China-Africa summit slated for this November a
complete success, said Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan in
Beijing Tuesday.
Tang made the remarks when meeting with a delegation of African
senior diplomats. They are visiting China while Chinese Premier Wen
Jiabao is on a seven-nation African tour.
Tang said this year marks the 50th anniversary of the beginning
of diplomatic ties between New China and African countries.
"China-Africa friendship has withstood the test of times and
international climates, and is regarded an example of south-south
cooperation," he said.
"To enhance solidarity and cooperation with African countries is
important content of China's independent foreign policy of peace,"
Tang said.
Under new circumstances, China will unswervingly persist in
China-Africa friendship, highly value its relations with African
countries and join hands with them to inaugurate new phases of
China-Africa friendship, he said.
The state councilor said the third ministerial meeting of the
China-Africa Cooperation Forum slated for this November is a great
event in the history of China-Africa relations.
"China is ready to make joint efforts with African countries to
make the conference a complete success," he said.
Moussa Diakite, head of the delegation, said African countries
spoke highly of China's long-term friendly policies toward Africa
and its selfless help for their social and economic
development.
Diakite, also secretary-general of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and International Cooperation of Mali, expressed his best
wishes for China's political stability and economic development. He
hopes Africa-China relations could continue to make new
progress.
The delegation, comprising of 25 senior diplomats from 25
African countries and two sub-regional organizations, is visiting
China at the invitation of the Chinese People's Institute of
Foreign Affairs.
This year is an important year for China-Africa ties. China
published early this year an African policy document and Chinese
President Hu Jintao visited three African nations in April. Premier
Wen on Saturday kicked off his eight-day official visits to Egypt,
Ghana, the Republic of Congo, Angola, South Africa, Tanzania and
Uganda.
(Xinhua News Agency June 20, 2006)
