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On October 10, 2002, Premier Zhu Rongji held talks
with Mozambican Prime Minister Pascoal Manuel Mocumbi, who
was on a working visit to China, at the Great Hall of the
People. The two sides exchanged views on bilateral relations
and international and regional issues of common concern in a
sincere and friendly manner and reached broad consensus.
Zhu first welcomed Mocumbi's another
visit to China and appreciated Mocumbi's contribution to
bilateral friendly cooperation and traditional friendship in
the past years, and was convinced that this visit would
further the existing friendship and cooperation between the
two countries.
Zhu spoke highly of bilateral
relations. He said that China-Mozambique traditional
friendship dates back to many years ago. Bilateral relations
have maintained a good momentum of development. China and
Mozambique, both developing countries, have good relations,
share a broad interest in international affairs and have
supported each other and worked together on major
international issues. He expressed his appreciations for
Mozambique's past adherence to the One China policy and for
its firm support for China's reunification and to its stance
on major international issues like human rights. He said
that the Chinese government cherishes China-Mozambique
traditional friendship, and would like to work with
Mozambique to promote bilateral friendly relations and
cooperation.
On bilateral economic cooperation
and trade, Zhu said that in recent years, China and
Mozambique have had good cooperation in trade, economic and
technical cooperation and investment. Bilateral economic
relations and trade are progressing in a positive direction.
Some projects in Mozambique with aid from China have become
symbols of China-Mozambique friendship. Chinese enterprises
have taken an active part in Mozambique's economic
development with fruitful results in aquatic farming and
agriculture. The China Investment and Trade Promotion
Center, which is to open at the end of this year, will play
a positive role in furthering bilateral economic and trade
relations. Zhu noted the two economies are highly
complementary and the development of bilateral economic and
trade cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual
benefit has a promising future.
Zhu also
briefed Mocumbi on the follow-up actions of the China-Africa
Cooperation Forum, and said everything is going smoothly.
China has signed debt reduction or exemption agreements with
31 African nations including Mozambique, and Sino-African
trade has grown quite rapidly. The two sides also cooperated
in human resources development, agriculture and
environmental protection. The Chinese Follow-up Action
Committee of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum held a
seminar on agricultural investment and cooperation between
China and Africa in Beijing in late September to encourage
Chinese enterprises to participate more actively in
China-Africa agricultural cooperation. Zhu said that a
senior official’s meeting of the Forum would be held
in Ethiopia in November, followed by a ministers' meeting
next year. The Chinese side is willing to make concerted
efforts with African countries to make the Forum mechanism
serve the development of Sino-African friendship and
cooperation in a long-term and effective
manner.
Mocumbi fully agreed with Zhu's
assessment of bilateral relations. He said that since
Mozambique's independence, Mozambique-China friendly
relations of unity and cooperation have developed
constantly. The top leadership of the two countries has
maintained close exchanges, and mutual understanding between
the two peoples has been enhanced. The two foreign
ministries have maintained a good mechanism of consultation.
Mozambique adheres to the One China policy, and believes
that China will realize its cause of peaceful unification.
He said that Mozambique thinks highly of China's independent
foreign policy of peace and is convinced this policy will
not only benefit peace and stability in Asia, but also play
a vital role in world peace and stability. Mozambique will
continue close consultation and cooperation with China in
international affairs so as to meet the demands brought by
volatile changes and development of the international
situation.
Mocumbi said that Mozambique-China
friendship is not only embodied in the political area, but
also in the many projects of friendly cooperation between
the two countries. Mozambique appreciates China's selfless
assistance in the past years. He said that in recent years,
the Mozambican economy has made rapid development and the
development of Mozambique's domestic economy has provided a
good opportunity for expanding and enhancing
Mozambique-China economic cooperation and trade. Mozambique
hopes to learn from China's experience in agriculture, port
development and the establishment of economic development
zones and to cooperate with China in these fields. Moreover,
Mozambique hopes to draw more Chinese investment, and
believes that the China Investment and Trade Promotion
Center in Mozambique will help encourage Chinese
enterprises' participation in Mozambique's economic
development.
Mocumbi acknowledged that the
China-Africa Cooperation Forum is very important and will
benefit African countries in many spheres including
agriculture and human resources development. Mozambique
highly appreciates China's active contribution to
China-Africa Cooperation Forum. He expressed sympathy for
the recent floods in some Chinese provinces and donated USD
20,000 on behalf of the Mozambican government for flood
relief. Zhu expressed thanks.
The two sides
also exchanged views on the situation in
Africa.
Following the talks, Zhu and Mocumbi
jointly attended the signing ceremony of an agreement on
economic and technological cooperation between the two
governments and a memorandum of understanding on
agricultural cooperation.
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