Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) shakes hands
with his Sudanese counterpart Omar Hassan Ahmed Al-Bashir during
their talks in Khartoum, capital of Sudan, Feb. 2, 2007.
Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao on Friday held talks in Khartoum with
his Sudanese counterpart Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir and they
pledged to raise Sino-Sudanese bilateral relationship to a new
high.
During the talks, the two leaders had frank, in-depth and
fruitful discussions on bilateral ties and major regional and
international issues and reached consensus.
The two leaders praised the smooth development of Sino-Sudanese
relations. Hu said that Sudan was one of the first group of African and Arab countries to have established
diplomatic ties with China, and 43 years ago, then Chinese Premier
Zhou Enlai visited Sudan, thus ushering in a new chapter in
bilateral ties.
Hu said the peoples of the two countries have trusted each other
and forged a sincere and friendly relationship over the past
decades, and bilateral ties have stood the test of the changing
international situation.
Thanks to the joint efforts, bilateral cooperation in various
areas has been progressing in recent years, enriching bilateral
ties and bringing about tangible benefit to the people of the two
countries, he added.
Al-Bashir said that Sudanese-Chinese ties, based on equality and
mutual respect, have set a model for state-to-state cooperation,
and both countries have benefited from their increasingly close
economic and trade ties.
Sudan is grateful for China's long-standing support for economic
and social development in Sudan, he said, adding that the two
countries have maintained close coordination and consultation on
regional and international issues.
Al-Bashir reiterated that Sudan has adhered to the one-China
policy and opposed any attempt to separate Taiwan from China.
Hu said that China is the most populous country in the world and
Sudan is the largest country in Africa. In this connection, the
growth of Sino-Sudanese friendship and cooperation in an all-round
way conforms to the fundamental interests of the two countries and
their peoples, and will also be conducive to promoting cooperation
among developing countries and peace and development in Africa and
the world at large, Hu added.
To consolidate and advance Sino-Sudanese friendship and
cooperation is a set policy of the Chinese government, he said.
Hu also made proposals on promotion of bilateral cooperation in
a variety of areas.
He said that it was important to consolidate traditional
friendship between the two countries and promote mutual trust in
the political field, and to maintain high-level exchanges of visits
between the two countries to promote mutual understanding and
expand consensus, and have more exchanges between governmental
departments, legislatures and political parties, and to strengthen
coordination and cooperation in bilateral ties and major regional
and international issues.
He said that it was important to deepen bilateral cooperation
for the sake of both sides, adding that the Chinese side is ready
to expand its cooperation with Sudan in the areas of
telecommunication, irrigation, energy and infrastructure, in a
bidto advance bilateral economic and trade cooperation and seek a
win-win situation.
Hu said that it was also important to enhance cooperation in
human resources, vocational training, health and culture.
He added that it was important to strengthen bilateral
cooperation within the framework of the Forum on Sino-African
Cooperation and to fully implement eight measures announced by
China to support development of African countries.
Al-Bashir also briefed Hu on the situation in Sudan. The
Sudanese president said that major progress has been made in the
peace process in Sudan over the past two years, and the country has
witnessed peace accords concerning the north and the south, the
eastern part and the western region of Darfur.
Sudan is thankful for China's support for peace and stability in
Sudan, he said.
President Hu said that the Chinese side was pleased to see that
Sudan has scored remarkable achievements in national
reconciliation, economic development and the people's standard of
living.
The north and the south achieved a peace agreement last year,
and the Sudanese government then signed accords with several
factions in the north, east and west, thus promoting social
stability in the country and ensuring its economic growth, Hu
added.
President Hu flew into Khartoum from the Liberian capital of
Monrovia after a one-day visit.
(Xinhua News Agency February 3, 2007)
