Chinese President Hu Jintao left the Seychellois capital of
Victoria for Beijing on Saturday, winding up his eight-nation
African tour where he has had remarkable success in enhancing
friendship and cooperation between China and African countries.
The tour, which began on Jan. 30 and has taken him to Cameroon,
Liberia, Sudan, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique and
Seychelles, marks his first Africa trip after the Beijing Summit of
the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) last November, the largest meeting
between the two sides since the 1950s.
In Victoria, Hu met his Seychellois counterpart James Alix
Michel for talks on expanding the mutually beneficial cooperation
between the two nations.
The two countries signed a number of bilateral cooperation
documents following the talks.
In Maputo, Hu held talks with Mozambican President Armando
Emilio Guebuza. They exchanged views on bilateral relations as well
as major global and regional issues of common concern and reached a
broad consensus.
Hu proposed that China and Mozambique enhance the exchange of
high-level visits and mutual political trust, deepen their economic
cooperation, strengthen the cultural and people-to-people
interactions and boost their coordination in international
affairs.
The two countries issued a joint communique, agreeing to develop
a new type of China-Africa strategic partnership, featuring
political equality and mutual trust, economic win-win cooperation
and cultural exchange.
The two sides signed accords on a partial relief of Mozambique's
debts to China, the construction of Mozambique's national stadium
and the establishment of an agricultural technology demonstration
center in Mozambique, among other things.
In Pretoria, the Chinese president and his South African
counterpart Thabo Mbeki held talks and reached a broad consensus on
future development of bilateral relations.
Hu put forward a five-point proposal for further promoting
China-South Africa ties, including ways of boosting political
mutual trust, deepening economic and trade cooperation, expanding
the scope of bilateral cooperation, increasing people-to-people
contacts and intensifying multilateral cooperation.
China and South Africa agreed to view and develop bilateral ties
from a strategic perspective and push forward their strategic
partnership, which is based on equality, mutual benefit and common
development.
In Windhoek, Hu held talks with Namibian President Hifikepunye
Pohamba on bilateral relations, the FOCAC and other major issues of
common concern.
Speaking highly of Sino-Namibia friendship and cooperation, the
two leaders conducted in-depth discussions on how they could
strengthen bilateral cooperation and agreed to push the cooperative
ties to a new high.
Pohamba said Hu's visit to Namibia, three months after the
FOCAC, demonstrated the importance China attaches to its ties with
Namibia and its efforts to fulfill its promises made at the
FOCAC.
Hu and Pohamba later witnessed the signing of five documents for
cooperation in economic technology, human resources, education and
tourism.
The Chinese president finished his visit to Namibia with a joint
communique reaffirming commitment to continuing mutual support on
issues concerning sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In Lusaka, Hu had talks with his Zambian counterpart Levy
Patrick Mwanawasa, discussing ways of enhancing friendship and
economic and trade cooperation.
Hu hailed the all-weather friendship between China and Zambia,
pledging to remain a good friend, partner and brother to the
southern African country.
Following their talks, the two countries signed eight
cooperation agreements. The Chinese president also met former
Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda, and attended the inauguration
ceremony of a Zambia-China economic cooperation zone, the first one
to be set up by China in Africa.
Mwanawasa pledged to further improve the investment environment
and hoped that more Chinese and foreign enterprises will settle in
the zone, bringing along with them know-how and expertise necessary
for the development of the zone and all of Zambia.
In Khartoum, President Hu put forward four principles for the
concerned parties to observe in the pursuit of a solution to the
Darfur issue.
The four principles are to respect Sudan's sovereignty and
territorial integrity; to solve the issue by peaceful means and by
sticking to dialogue and coordination based on equality; that the
African Union and the United Nations should play constructive roles
in a peacekeeping mission in Darfur; and to improve the situation
in Darfur and living conditions of local people.
During the talks with Sudanese President Omar Hassan Ahmed
al-Bashir, Hu said that China appreciated efforts by the Sudanese
government, the African Union, the Arab League, the United Nations
and countries concerned to solve the Darfur issue, and hoped that
the issue could be solved as soon as possible.
Al-Bashir reiterated that Sudan has adhered to the one-China
policy and opposed any attempt to separate Taiwan from China.
In Monrovia, Hu talked with Liberian President Ellen
Johnson-Sirleaf. The two leaders witnessed the signing of seven
documents on cooperation in economy, technology, health, education
and agriculture, and also attended the inauguration of a malaria
prevention and treatment center supported by China.
During the visit there, Hu highlighted the solidarity and
cooperation of China with African countries, saying they always
serve as a major foundation stone for China's diplomatic work.
Hu said that China will place as a top priority the
implementation of the measures within the FOCAC framework and in
line with the principles of mutual benefit, friendly consultation,
pragmatism and high efficiency.
The Liberian president spoke highly of the friendly relationship
between the two countries and hoped the development of bilateral
ties would result in a win-win situation.
In Yaounde, Hu met his Cameroonian counterpart Paul Biya and
other leaders of the central western African country, to exchange
views on how to consolidate friendship and deepen bilateral
cooperation.
The two sides signed a series of cooperation documents during
the visit.
At the start of the trip, the Chinese president said his visit
aimed to consolidate the traditional friendship between China and
Africa, act on the commitments made at the FOCAC, enlarge
substantial cooperation and promote common development.
At the FOCAC, Hu announced eight measures to strengthen
China-Africa cooperation, including the establishment of three to
five trade and economic cooperation zones in Africa in the next
three years, the relief of debts owed by some African countries
with diplomatic ties with China, and that 30 hospitals and 30
centers for malaria prevention and treatment would be built in
Africa.
(Xinhua News Agency February 11, 2007)
