SAANA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Xi
Jinping's visits to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Mongolia,
Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Yemen will effectively push forward the development of
China's ties with these countries, a senior diplomat said Wednesday.
Xi paid official visits to the five nations at the
invitation of the countries' leaders on June 17-25.
The five-nation tour, the first visit to foreign
countries by Xi after becoming vice president earlier this year, was a tour of
"friendship, exchange and cooperation," said Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui,
who accompanied Xi during the visits, to reporters.
Kim Jong Il (2nd R Front), top leader of
the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and visiting Chinese
Vice President Xi Jinping (2nd L Front) walk to the meeting hall in
Pyongyang, June 18, 2008. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) Photo
Gallery>>>
The
visits, featured with a compact agenda, were "pragmatic and highly-effective,"
and have yielded rich fruits, he added.
The visits have consolidated the traditional
friendship between China and the five nations, the official said.
The five countries are all traditionally friendly
nations of China and the bilateral ties have developed smoothly since the
establishment of the diplomatic relations, Zhang said.
Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (L)
meets with Mongolian President Nambaryn Enkhbayar in Ulan Bator, capital
of Mongolia, June 19, 2008.(Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) Photo Gallery>>>
Vice President Xi expressed to the countries' leaders
the willingness to enhance friendship and actively push forward exchanges and
cooperation between China and the countries in such fields as politics, economy,
culture and education, he said.
During the talks and meetings, leaders of the five
countries all expressed sympathies again over the devastating earthquake in
southwest China's Sichuan province and praised China's disaster relief work, he
said.
The leaders also voiced firm support for China's
stance on the issues of Taiwan and Tibet and wished the Beijing Olympic Games a
success, Zhang said.
Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (L)
meets with Saudi Arabian King Abdullah bin Abdul-Azizi Al-Saud (R) in
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, June 21, 2008. Xi arrived in Jeddah for an official
visit to Saudi Arabia Saturday.(Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) Photo
Gallery>>>
"All this fully demonstrates the deep feelings and
friendship of the countries' peoples toward China," he maintained.
The visit will promote mutually beneficial
cooperation, Zhang said.
Overall, China and the five countries are highly
complementary in economy with great potential and broad prospects for further
cooperation, he said.
The five countries have strong wills to enhance
cooperation with China, he said.
Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (L)
meets with Qatari head of state Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani in
Doha, Qatar, June 23, 2008. Xi arrived at Doha on Monday for an official
visit to Qatar. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
Xi exchanged in-depth views with leaders from the
five countries on strengthening cooperation in various areas and reached many
important agreements on this issue.
Quite a few cooperation accords have been signed on
such areas as agriculture, trade and economy, energy, resource, infrastructure
construction, culture, education and tourism, said Zhang.
Xi also met with the Secretary General of the Gulf
Cooperation Council (GCC), reaching agreements with him on boosting cooperation
between China, GCC and its member states.
Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping meets
with Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh in Sanaa on June 25, 2008.
(Xinhua Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
The vice president attended trade and economic
seminars in Mongolia, Saudi Arabia and Yemen respectively, Zhang said.
He put forward suggestions on enhancing bilateral
trade and economic cooperation on the occasion, which put great focus on mutual
respect, innovation, mutual benefit and common development, the vice minister
said.
Xi pointed out that relevant rules and laws as well
as cooperative mechanisms need to be completed at the same time.
The visits will enhance communication and mutual
trust between China and the five nations, Zhang said.
Xi briefed the leaders from the five nations on
China's economic and social development, especially the relief work following
the devastating earthquake that hit southwestern China on May 12 and
preparations to the Beijing Olympic Games.
He said China will always adhere to the path of
peaceful development, good-neighborly relations, a mutually beneficial and
win-win opening up strategy.
The leaders said they were pleased to see China's
development and achievements, and regarded it as an opportunity.
They are willing to strengthen communication and
consultation with China, support each other on major international and regional
issues.
Vice President Xi attended the international energy
meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on June 22.
During his speech, he stressed that the energy
problem is a global issue, the international community should establish and
implement a new energy security concept of mutually beneficial cooperation,
multi-dimensional development, and cooperation to guarantee the world energy
security, Zhang said.
Xi pointed out that China mainly relies on domestic
energy production. In recent years, China's energy consumption has increased
rapidly, but still below the world's average standards of consumption and
imports.
China has been sticking to scientific development and
adopting a sustainable energy strategy, the Chinese leader said.
During the energy development process, China will
always follow the principles of economizing on energy consumption,
multi-dimensional development, basing itself domestically, relying on science
and technology, protecting the environment, and mutually beneficial cooperation
with other countries, Xi pledged at the meeting.
As a responsible and active participant in global
energy cooperation, China has contributed much for world energy security, he
said.
The Chinese proposition on solving the global energy
problems have received general recognition from the participating countries of
the meeting, vice minister Zhang said.
SANAA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Xi
Jinping concluded his five-nation Asia tour here Wednesday evening and left
Sanaa for home.
Xi arrived in Sanaa on Tuesday afternoon for a
two-day official visit to Yemen. During the visit, Xi met with President Ali
Abdullah Saleh and held talks with Vice President Abdal-Rab Mansural-Hadii.
Xi also delivered a speech at a China-Yemen
investment seminar, which was attended by Prime Minister Ali Muhammad al-Mujawar
and officials and businessmen from both countries. Full story
