Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's four-nation tour to the United
States, Canada, Mexico and Ethiopia during which he also attended
the opening ceremony of the Second Ministerial Conference of the
China-Africa Cooperation Forum has been very successful and
attained important achievements, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said
in Addis Ababa Tuesday.
The trip, which lasted from December 7 to 16, is the first
bilateral visits by Premier Wen since the inauguration of the new
cabinet last March, Li said during a press briefing.
During the trip, Wen met with leaders and persons from all walks
of life of his host countries, delivered speeches on various
occasions, visited financial industrial, agricultural, energy,
telecommunications and research institutions, inspected
Chinese-invested businesses and attained important achievements in
many aspects, the foreign minister said.
The visit further strengthened political relations between China
and the four countries. Premier Wen's meeting with US President
George Bush is the third meeting between Chinese and US leaders
within the year. The two leaders exchanged views of points on
bilateral relations and agreed to further enhance bilateral
cooperation and promote the continued development of constructive
and cooperative relations between the two countries.
In Canada, Premier Wen's proposal on the deepening of the
cooperative partnership between the two nations was well received
by both the incumbent and newly-elected prime ministers.
In Mexico, Premier Wen and Mexican President Vicente Fox jointly
announced the establishment of strategic partnership between the
two countries. They also announced the establishment of a permanent
inter-government committee to coordinate bilateral cooperation in
various fields.
In Ethiopia, the two leaders agreed to further consolidate the
traditional friendship between the two countries and work together
for the establishment of an all-round partnership.
During his visit, the premier also explained China's positions
on the Taiwan issue and won universal support, Foreign Minister Li
said.
Premier Wen stressed that the Chinese government will try its
best to realize the peaceful reunification of the motherland and
will not give up its efforts to this end so far as there is the
slightest hope.
Wen made it clear that China will not tolerate the separatist
activity by the Taiwan authority to split Taiwan from the
motherland in the excuse of democracy and through the so called "
defensive referendum."
US President Bush said his government will stick to the "One
China" policy and observe the three Sino-US joint communiques. He
said the United States opposes Taiwan independence and any actions
by the Taiwan authority to change the status quo of Taiwan
unilaterally.
Both incumbent and elect prime ministers of Canada reiterated
that they will firmly observe the "One China" policy and expressed
the hope that the Taiwan issue will be solved in the same model of
the Hong Kong issue.
Mexican and Ethiopian leaders also expressed their explicit
support to the stance of the Chinese government and to the great
cause of the reunification of China.
Wen's visit also opened new prospect for the healthy development
of bilateral trade and economic cooperation, Li Zhaoxing said.
While in the United States, Premier Wen proposed that the two
sides should strengthen their cooperation for mutual benefits,
solve the issue of trade imbalance through development, raise the
level of trade coordination mechanism, consult on equal basis and
avoid politicizing trade issues. The US side agreed to his
proposal.
During the visit in Canada, both sides agreed to set up a
ministerial strategic consultation mechanism and a cooperative,
mutually beneficial and stable long-term trade relationship.
In Mexico, Premier Wen stressed that China and Mexico are not
competitors but cooperative partners. He also announced proposals
to promote the diversification of bilateral economic and trade
ties. All these were well-received by the Mexican side.
In Ethiopia, the Chinese premier proposed that China and Africa
countries including Ethiopia should strengthen their cooperation in
agriculture, human resources and infrastructure sectors, which
received warm responses from African leaders.
During the visit, China and the four countries signed several
documents on cooperation, including inter-government agreements and
commercial contracts between companies. These documents extend into
many fields and injected new vigor into bilateral cooperation.
Wen's visits have also helped consolidate and strengthen China's
traditional friendship with developing countries, particularly
African countries, Li said.
At the opening ceremony of the Second Ministerial Conference of
the China-Africa Cooperation Forum, which attracted representatives
from 44 African countries, Premier Wen forwarded proposals on
further deepening of Sino-African cooperation and called on the
international community to pay more attention to Africa's peace and
development.
In his meeting with leaders of African countries and chairperson
of the Africa Union, Wen discussed with them on how to promote the
establishment of long-term Sino-African partnership
for mutual benefits.
"Premier Wen's first visit to the Africa continent and the
success of the Second Ministerial Conference of the China-Africa
Cooperation Forum will have a deep impact on Sino-African
friendship and the solidarity and cooperation between China and
other developing countries," Foreign Minister Li said.
(Xinhua News Agency December 16, 2003)