Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao held talks with his
Cameroonian counterpart, Paul Biya, on closer bilateral ties in
Yaounde yesterday morning.
President Hu was accorded a red-carpet welcome by Biya before
their talks. Hundreds of Cameroonian people sang and danced, giving
the Chinese delegation a warm welcome.
During the talks, Hu exchanged views with Biya on the
development of China-Cameroon ties and discussed other important
issues of common concern, according to a Chinese official.
Hu proposed that China and Cameroon promote mutual trust and
cooperation by intensifying communication at all levels and
supporting each other on core issues.
He also suggested more efforts be made on economic cooperation
that would benefit both countries, particularly in agriculture,
primary products processing, infrastructure and
telecommunications.
People-to-people exchange is another field that the Chinese
president proposed the two sides focus on. "Communication should be
strengthened in education, health, culture, sports and tourism," he
told Biya.
Hu also called for enhancing multilateral coordination in an
effort to safeguard the interests of developing countries.
For his part, Biya said Cameroon firmly supports China's
endeavor to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial
integrity.
"China is the great friend of Cameroon and Cameroon is the
sincere friend of China," he said.
On economic cooperation, Biya said Cameroon has been making
efforts to improve its investment environment and welcomes more
Chinese enterprises to invest in his country.
The two heads of state also exchanged views on Africa's
situation. "The world peace and development can not proceed without
the stability and prosperity in Africa," Hu said.
Hu summed up the characteristics of the Sino-African ties as
sincere friendship, equality and mutual benefit, solidarity and
cooperation, and common development.
"China has never imposed its own ideology, social system and
development pattern upon others, nor gained its own interest at the
cost of others'," he said.
Hu said he believed that with the gradual implementation of the
commitments made by China in the Beijing summit of the Forum of
China-Africa Cooperation last November, the Sino-African
cooperation will usher in a new chapter at a "larger, broader and
high level."
Biya said poverty and backwardness have posed threats to peace
and stability in Africa and the world at large. The eight measures
announced by China in the Beijing summit have "brought hope for
Africa and opened a broad and bright prospect for Sino-African
cooperation," he said.
After their talks, Hu and Biya witnessed the signing of eight
bilateral cooperation documents covering economic and technological
cooperation, health, education and telecom areas.
Later in the day, the two presidents attended a cultural gala
with a performance by Chinese and Cameroonians.
On Wednesday afternoon, Hu met with Cavaye Yeguie Djibril,
president of the National Assembly of Cameroon (NAC), and discussed
exchanges between the two countries' legislatures.
The NAC has kept frequent contacts and friendly cooperation with
China's National People's Congress (NPC), Hu said, adding that such
communication enriched the contents of the bilateral exchanges.
Hu hoped that the NPC and the NAC will expand multi-facet
cooperation and enhance coordination on multi-lateral occasions,
such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
For his part, Cavaye spoke highly of China's Africa policy,
describing it as "a new practice in international cooperation."
He said he expected more Chinese enterprises to run businesses
in Cameroon and hoped to further cooperation between the NAC and
the NPC.
Also on Wednesday, President Hu paid a visit to a
China-sponsored hospital for children and women and the
construction site of a stadium.
In recent years, the China-Cameroon relations have progressed,
with political friendship enhanced, economic and trade cooperation
expanded and human resources exchanges deepened.
In the first 11 months of 2006, trade volume between China and
Cameroon amounted to US$338 million, a 101 percent increase on the
corresponding period of the previous year.
Hu is on an eight-nation tour of Africa that will also take him
to Liberia, Sudan, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique and
Seychelles.
In a written statement issued upon his arrival at the Yaounde
International Airport on Tuesday, Hu described his Africa trip as
"a journey of friendship and cooperation."
He said his visit to the eight African countries is aimed at
consolidating the traditional friendship between China and Africa,
implementing the agreements reached at the Beijing summit last
November, increasing cooperation and promoting common
development.
At the Beijing Summit, leaders of China and 48 African countries
agreed to establish and develop a new type of strategic
partnership, featuring political equality and mutual trust,
"win-win" economic cooperation and cultural exchanges.
(Xinhua News Agency February 1, 2007)
