A senior official of the Chinese Communist Party, Wu Guanzheng,
arrived in the Colombian capital on Monday, kicking off a two-day
goodwill visit.
In a written statement released upon his arrival at the airport,
Wu said that China and Colombia as well as their two peoples have
enjoyed a long-standing friendship although they are separated by a
vast ocean.
Wu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau
of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC),
said bilateral relations between China and Colombia have recorded
steady development since they established diplomatic relations in
1980.
With frequent exchanges of high-level visits, the mutual
political trust between the two countries has been strengthened and
bilateral cooperation of mutual benefit further expanded, said Wu,
who flew to Bogota after winding up his four-day visit to Cuba.
China and Colombia are both developing countries and both are
facing the common task of developing their national economies,
raising the living standards of their peoples, safeguarding world
peace and pushing for the progress of mankind, Wu said.
Deepening the Sino-Colombian friendship and cooperation of
mutual benefit conforms to the fundamental interests of the two
peoples, he said, adding that China regards Colombia as a good
friend and partner in Latin America.
Wu said his visit aims to increase exchanges, enhance
friendship, expand consensus and promote cooperation.
During his stay, Wu is expected to hold wide-ranging discussions
with Colombian leaders on a variety of international issues of
common concern.
After his tour of Colombia, Wu will visit Chile.
(Xinhua News Agency April 24, 2007)
