China and Chad signed a series of cooperative agreements,
including one on a joint venture between China National Petroleum
Corporation and Chadian Oil Refinery, in Beijing yesterday.
President Hu Jintao and visiting Chadian President Idriss Deby
Itno were present on the occasion after a one-hour meeting in the
Great Hall of the People.
According to the agreements, China will provide preferential
loans to the central African country, help construct a government
building and offer facilities for water and power supply.
China will also provide humanitarian aid and anti-malaria
medicines and build an anti-malaria center.
China and Chad resumed diplomatic ties on August 6 last year.
The two countries had established formal diplomatic links in 1972
but China severed diplomatic relations with Chad in 1997 when it
"re-established diplomatic ties" with Taiwan, a province of
China.
Bilateral relations have developed smoothly since the two
countries resumed diplomatic ties, Hu said during his talks with
Deby Itno. Exchanges between the two sides at various levels have
gained momentum and cooperation in various fields has rapidly
increased.
"The Chadian government insists on the one-China policy, opposes
Taiwan 'independence' and supports China's position on the Taiwan
question. We appreciate that," Hu said.
A joint communique signed by the two countries last year said:
"The Chadian government recognizes that there is only one China in
the world and the government of the People's Republic of China is
the sole legitimate government representing the whole China. Taiwan
is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory."
Developing bilateral ties suits the interests of both the
countries and their peoples and is conducive to the growth of the
China-Africa strategic partnership, Hu said.
Deby Itno arrived in Beijing yesterday on a state visit to China
at the invitation of Hu. This is his second visit to the country;
the previous one was in 1994.
Agreeing fully with his Chinese host, Deby Itno said mutual
trust and understanding between Chad and China has been increasing,
which guarantees the two countries will develop a healthy and
productive partnership.
Chad is willing to work with China to implement cooperative
projects and actively promote enterprises from the two countries to
intensify cooperation, he said.
The Chadian president lauded the "positive" role China has
played in the Darfur issue of Sudan, Chad's neighbor.
(China Daily September 20, 2007)
