China-Africa relations have turned into a model of
state-to-state relations characterized by equality and
friendliness, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhang Xianyi said
yesterday.
The ambassador made the remarks at a reception held in
Zimbabwe's capital city of Harare to mark the 57th anniversary of
the founding of the People's Republic of China.
Zhang said this year also marks the 50th anniversary of the
inauguration of the diplomatic relations between China and African
countries. Over the past 50 years, China and Africa have supported
each other in safeguarding national dignity and sovereignty.
"We have cooperated with each other in national development and
livelihood enhancement and acted in concert to maintain world peace
and defend the rights of developing countries. Our friendship is
deep and strong," he said.
In its African Policy Paper, the Chinese government stated
clearly China's goal of carrying forward China-Africa traditional
friendship and deepening all-round friendly cooperation between
China and Africa in a new era, he said.
Zhang said the upcoming Summit and the 3rd Ministerial
Conference of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum in Beijing in
November will be a milestone in the history of the China-Africa
relations.
He said leaders of China and African countries are expected to
initiate a new strategic partnership featuring political equality
and mutual trust, win-win economic cooperation and cultural
exchange. "I believe that the new partnership will inject new
vitality into the long-lasting friendship between China and
Africa," he stressed.
In speaking of the China-Zimbabwe relations, Zhang said, China
always cherishes its traditional friendship with the Zimbabwean
people, values its friendly cooperation with the Southern African
country and appreciates with gratitude that the Zimbabwean
government and people resolutely stick to one-China policy and
support Taiwan's peaceful reunification with the motherland.
He said this year has seen new and fruitful results in the
cooperation between the two countries. The two sides have reached
consensus in a number of areas in state ruling and governance and
cultural exchange between the two countries has entered a
substantive stage.
More than 300 people, including officials from the Zimbabwean
government, foreign diplomats in Zimbabwe and representatives of
local overseas Chinese, attended the reception.
(Xinhua News Agency September 29, 2006)
