China will strive to lift friendly cooperation with Sierra Leone
to new heights, Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong said in
Beijing Monday.
Zeng praised the cooperation between China and Sierra Leone as
"the model of cooperation between large and small countries," in a
meeting with Solomon Berewa, vice president of Sierra Leone, in the
Great Hall of the People in Beijing Monday afternoon.
Zeng expressed appreciation of Sierra Leone for its consistently
adhering to the one-China policy and firmly supporting China's
reunification.
People of China and Sierra Leone share a long-standing
friendship. The two countries respect and trust each other and
treat each other equally in the 35 years since the two countries
forged official links, Zeng said, adding, bilateral relations have
withstood the test in both international and domestic changes.
In order to continuously advance the bilateral friendly
relationship, Zeng put forward several suggestions.
First, he said the two countries should maintain various forms
of close contact, including high-level exchanges. Both sides should
also expand exchanges and cooperation between various governmental
departments, parliaments and political parties. These moves are
aimed at enhancing mutual understanding and trust and consolidate
the political basis of bilateral friendship.
Secondly, the two countries should further explore the
complementarity of their specific advantages, expand trade and
economic cooperation and seek common development.
Thirdly, the two countries should advance consultation and
cooperation on regional and international affairs.
Fourthly, Zeng said the two countries should push forward
cooperation in such fields as human resources development.
In reply, Berewa said Sierra Leone attaches great importance to
its relations with China, hoping that the "brother-like
relationship" with China would strengthen from time to time.
The two countries share a lot of common interests in the
multilateral arena and have maintained close coordination and
cooperation, he said.
Berewa thanked China for working for peace and stability of
Sierra Leone within the framework of the United Nations, saying the
government of Sierra Leone will continue to firmly support the
Chinese government's stance on the issue of Taiwan. He expressed
the wish that China will realize reunification of the country at an
early date.
After the talks, Zeng and Berewa attended the signing ceremony
of an agreement on economic and technological cooperation between
the governments of the two countries.
Berewa arrived in Beijing Sunday afternoon for a five-day
official visit to China. This is the first visit he paid to China
since becoming Vice President in 2002.
(Xinhua News Agency April 25, 2006)
