Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe met with China's visiting top
legislator Wu
Bangguo in Harare on Tuesday afternoon.
Mugabe, who has visited China eight times and witnessed great
changes there, said Zimbabwe will never forget China's firm support
of its independence and economic development since the two
countries established diplomatic relations 24 years ago.
Wu, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing
Committee, extended Chinese President Hu
Jintao's best wishes to President Mugabe, and conveyed Hu's
invitation for him to visit China next year. Mugabe, in return,
expressed his greetings to both President Hu and his predecessor
Jiang Zemin.
Mugabe made a brief introduction to Wu on his country's present
situation and foreign policy, saying Zimbabwe has made a favorable
turn in its economy with the support of friendly countries, despite
sanctions from others.
Wu said that as a friend, China is pleased to see that Zimbabwe
has achieved great progress in promoting national unity and
economic development, and has played an active role in maintaining
regional peace and stability since independence under the
leadership of President Mugabe.
On economic and trade relations, Mugabe said he attaches great
importance to economic cooperation between
Zimbabwe and China, and hoped Wu's visit would promote
this.
Mugabe said Zimbabwe's experience showed developing countries
should unite to meet challenges with full use of effective regional
cooperation. He spoke highly of China's role in international
affairs and expressed willingness to hold further
consultations.
Wu said the world is diverse, and China supports every nation's
choice of its own best development path. He said every nation, big
or small, rich or poor, is an equal member of the international
community, and China opposes big countries bullying small ones.
He noted that maintaining cooperation with developing countries
is the foundation of China's foreign policy, saying China will
maintain top-level contacts and explore new ways to boost
Sino-African relations, especially within the framework of the
China-Africa Cooperation Forum.
Wu praised Mugabe and the Zimbabwean government in their
steadfast long-term support for the one-China principle. After the
meeting, Mugabe and Wu attended the signing ceremony of an economic
and technological cooperation agreement.
Zimbabwe is the second leg of Wu's four-nation African tour,
which has taken him to Kenya and will continue to Zambia and
Nigeria.
(Xinhua News Agency November 3, 2004)