President Jiang Zemin said Tuesday that China has always attached
great importance to its cooperation with international
meteorologists, especially the World Meteorological Organization
(WMO).
It
is commonly held that international cooperation is required in the
meteorological field and the China Meteorological Administration
has maintained long-term contacts with the WMO, Jiang said at a
meeting here with WMO Secretary-General Godwin O.P. Obasi.
Jiang called Obasi an "old friend" of the Chinese people and spoke
highly of his contribution to the promotion of world meteorological
and hydrological cooperation, especially to the capability building
of meteorological departments of developing countries, upgrading of
meteorological service to global sustainable social and economic
development, and the protection of the global climate and
environment.
The president underscored Obasi's efforts in assisting developing
countries with meteorological and hydrological development.
He
also expressed appreciation for Obasi's outstanding performance
since he took office in 1984 and thanked him for his long-term
concern and support to China in this regard.
Obasi said that since 1971, when the legitimate seat of the
People's Republic of China was restored in the United Nations,
China has played an active role in the WMO.
He
thanked Jiang for China's efforts in the meteorological field and
expressed the hope that cooperation between WMO and China would be
reinforced.
Obasi is visiting China at the invitation of the China
Meteorological Administration.
(People’s Daily 09/14/2000)