The relations between Mozambican and Chinese people should be further strengthened and the prospects for bilateral cooperation are great, said Mozambican President Joaquim Alberto Chissano in Beijing Tuesday.  

Mozambique is willing to expand the universe of cooperation to new areas and broaden mutually advantageous cooperation between the two countries, said the visiting Mozambican president in a speech at China Foreign Affairs University.

China was one of the first countries to offer unconditional assistance to Mozambique's liberation struggle against colonialism, said Chissano, adding that China also provided aid to Mozambique in its economic development after its independence in 1975.

Citing some important projects by Chinese companies in Mozambique, Chissano said the cooperation between the two countries had visible landmarks in Mozambique.

As the current Chairman of African Union, Chissano expressed gratitude for China's involvement in Africa's construction, saying that the fraternal China attached utmost priority to its relations with the African Continent, which led to the establishment of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum in 2000.

Chissano believed that the African people could meet the challenges of tackling conflicts, fighting absolute poverty and generating sustainable development in Africa.

After his presentation, Chissano answered questions from students on Mozambique's process of democratization, AIDS and bilateral cooperation. Wu Jianmin, president of the university, conferred the title of Honorary Professor on Chissano.

Chissano arrived in Beijing Sunday for a six-day visit to China. Besides Beijing, he will also visit southwest China's Sichuan Province and Shanghai, China's largest economic hub.

(Xinhua News Agency April 7, 2004)