President Hu Jintao arrived in Victoria, capital of the Seychelles, Friday on the last leg of his eight-nation African tour.

 

Hu is expected to hold talks Saturday with his Seychellois counterpart James Alix Michel on expanding the mutually-beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

 

In a written statement released at the airport upon his arrival, Hu described the Seychelles as "a shining pearl in the Indian Ocean."

 

In recent years, under the leadership of President Michel, he said, the Seychelles government has steadily advanced reform, developed tourism, worked to improve people's living standards and actively pursued international cooperation, achieving remarkable success.

 

During the past 30 years of diplomatic ties, China and the Seychelles have treated each other with respect and equality, and have made steady progress in their pragmatic cooperation in all fields, Hu said.

 

"I look forward to exchanging views with President James Alix Michel on bilateral relations and other major issues of mutual interest," he said.

 

Last November, Michel paid a state visit to China and attended the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

 

Hu's current trip to Africa has already taken him to Cameroon, Liberia, Sudan, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa and Mozambique.????

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 10, 2007)