China and Seychelles Friday agreed to expand cooperation in
fishery, tourism and infrastructure and to further their
relationship, according to consensus reached Friday at a meeting
between Premier Wen Jiabao and Seychellois President James Alix
Michel.
Michel, who is in the Chinese capital on a state visit, will
attend the two-day Beijing Summit of Forum on China-African
Cooperation slated to start Saturday.
Seychelles forged diplomatic ties with China the second day it
declared independence and have granted China support on the Taiwan
issue.
"The Sino-Seychellois relations enjoy solid foundation and
develop well," Wen said, urging both sides to strengthen high-
level exchanges, coordinate more closely in global affairs, and
cement collaboration in fishing, processing, port construction and
trade.
Seychelles, a country made up of 115 islets with more than half
of its territory being nature reserve, is one of China's outbound
tourist destinations. "China will encourage more Chinese to go
sightseeing there," Wen said.
Michel said it was a "political will" of the Seychellois
government to strengthen friendly cooperation with the Chinese
government.
Promising to firmly stick to the one-China policy, Michel said
Seychelles hoped to bring collaboration to a higher level and
wished China realize its reunification cause as early as
possible.
After the summit, Michel is to visit Changsha, capital of
central China's Hunan Province, and Haikou, capital of the
southernmost island province of Hainan.
Bilateral trade has been growing rapidly, with trade volume
totaling US$3.41 million in 2005.
(Xinhua News Agency November 3, 2006)