Chinese President Hu Jintao met in St. Petesrsburge on Sunday with Denis Sassou-Nguesso (L), President of the Republic of Congo, and Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki (R), President of South Africa. (Xinhua Photo) |
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese
President Hu Jintao met here on Sunday with Denis Sassou-Nguesso, President of
the Republic of Congo, and Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki, President of South Africa.
Hu met with the two African leaders on the sideline
of the G8 St. Petersburg summit. The three leaders came here to attend the
outreach session of the G8 summit, to be held on Monday.
During his meeting with Sassou-Nguesso, Hu said the
Republic of Congo is a trust-worthy friend of China, extending appreciation for
Congo's adherence to the one-China policy.
Hu said both countries have vowed to enhance
strategic cooperation, which symbolizes that the bilateral cooperation has
entered a new phase.
Sassou-Nguesso, whose country holds the current
presidency of the African Union, said China's assistance has embodied Chinese
people's sincere friendship toward Congo.
The Chinese president said the situation in Africa
has seen good changes and the African Union has played a leading role in
safeguarding the unity and resolving various difficulties of the continent.
China attaches importance to the cooperation with the
African Union, said Hu, adding that China would continue to offer substantial
help in Africa's development.
Sassou-Nguesso said he was looking forward to the
success of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, to be held in November in
Beijing.
In his meeting with Mbeki, Hu said China attaches
great importance to its ties with South Africa, hoping that both sides would
join hands to lift the bilateral strategic partnership into a higher level.
Mbeki said the economic cooperation between China and
South Africa is of vital importance to helping South Africa with employment as
well as to the national economic development at large.
Hu said China would conduct more coordination and
consultation with African countries like South Africa, so as to make the Forum
on China-Africa Cooperation, due in November, successful.
Mbeki said Africa would join hands with China to
tackle various challenges Africa is facing. Enditem
