Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) and
visiting Iraqi President Jalal Talabani review the guards of honor
together during a welcome ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, June 21,
2007. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) Photo
Gallery>>>
BEIJING, June 21 (Xinhua) -- China and Iraq on
Thursday signed four agreements in Beijing, including one that canceled some
Iraqi debt, as Iraqi President Jalal Talabani paid his first state visit to
China.
Chinese President Hu Jintao and Talabani attended the
signing ceremony of the agreements after talking for an hour in the Great Hall
of the People in downtown Beijing.
No information was available about how much Iraqi
debt would beset aside by China.
The other three agreements involve cooperation
between the two foreign ministries, economic and technical cooperation and a
human resources training program.
Talabani arrived in Beijing Wednesday evening,
starting the first China visit by a Iraqi president since the two countries
forged diplomatic ties in 1958.
During the talks, Hu described Talabani as "an old
friend of the Chinese people", saying Talabani's visit to China will "add new
energy to bilateral ties and open a fresh chapter."
China will continue to do what it can to help Iraqi
reconstruction by encouraging some firms to take part in and train professionals
needed for reconstruction, said Hu.
Hu proposed China and Iraq enhance cooperation in
education, culture and health care, saying that China is ready to sign a yearly
action plan with Iraq on cultural exchanges.
China will also enhance coordination with Iraq on
international and regional issues, said Hu, adding that China will exchange
views with Iraq on issues of mutual concern through such established mechanisms
as foreign ministry-level consultations.
Hu said the China-Iraq friendship goes back more than
2000 years, to the time when the ancient Silk Road linked the two peoples
together.
Since the two countries forged diplomatic ties,
especially after the new Iraqi government was established, China-Iraq relations
have entered a new stage of development, said Hu.
The Chinese government and people respect the rights
and choices of the Iraqi people and support the efforts Iraq has made to
safeguard national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, said Hu.
The Chinese president also expressed his appreciation
of Iraq's adherence to the one-China policy.
Talabani fully agreed with Hu's proposals, saying
Iraq sincerely thanks China for its assistance and considers China one of its
real friends.
Talabani suggested Iraq and China promote cooperation
in areas like trade, science and technology, energy and culture and and explore
new cooperative fields.
Talabani reiterated Iraq's firm adherence to the
one-China policy.
In his weeklong stay in China, Talabani will also
meet with top legislator Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao.
Besides Beijing, the Iraqi president will visit
northwest China's ancient city of Xi'an and Nanjing, capital of eastern Jiangsu
Province.
In April 2005, Talabani was elected president of
Iraq, becoming the first Kurdish president in Iraqi history.
BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese top legislator
Wu Bangguo pledged on Friday the National People's Congress (NPC) will promote
friendly exchanges and cooperation with the Iraqi parliament to advance
bilateral relations.
"The NPC is ready to conduct friendly exchanges and
cooperation with the newly-established Iraqi parliament, to enhance mutual
understanding and friendship between the two peoples, promote bilateral
cooperation in various fields and strengthen the over-all development of
bilateral ties," said Wu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee. Full story
Chinese top
legislator Wu Bangguo (R) shakes hands with visiting Iraqi President Jalal
Talabani in Beijing, June 22, 2007.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery
>>>
BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on
Friday vowed to offer more assistance to Iraq as Iraqi President Jalal Talabani
paid his first state visit to China.
"China would like to write off Iraqi debts, offer Iraq
assistance within its ability and help train Iraqi personnel to upgrade the
country's educational and medical capacities," Wen told Talabani. Full story
Chinese
Premier Wen Jiabao (R) shakes hands with visiting Iraqi President Jalal
Talabani in Beijing, June 22, 2007.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery
>>>
BEIJING, June 21 (Xinhua) -- China and Iraq on Thursday
signed four agreements in Beijing, including one about exemption of Iraqi debt,
as Iraqi President Jalal Talabani pays his state visit to China.
Chinese President Hu Jintao and Talabani attended the
signing ceremony of the agreements after they held one-hour talks in the Great
Hall of People. Full story
BEIJING, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi President Jalal
Talabani arrived in Beijing Wednesday evening, starting the first China visit by
a Iraqi president since the two countries forged diplomatic ties in 1958.
In his weeklong stay in China, Talabani will meet
with Chinese President Hu Jintao, top legislator Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen
Jiabao. Full story
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