Presidents promote growth with Gabon
By Sun Shangwu (China Daily)
Updated: 2004-09-09 00:46

China is going to encourage more enterprises with good reputation to invest in Gabon, a western African country bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator.

President Hu Jintao made the remarks Wednesday in Beijing when meeting visiting Gabonese President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba.

President Hu Jintao extends a warm welcome to visiting Gabonese President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba in Beijing Wednesday. [newsphoto]

Hu said that China is willing to tap the potentials of bilateral economic and trade co-operation and the focus will be put on natural resources such as oil, minerals and forestry as well as sectors of agriculture, water conservancy and fishery.

Bongo told Hu that Gabon is devoted to economic development in the country and the priority is put on the construction of railways, roads, deep-water ports and hydropower stations.

Gabon hopes to strengthen co-operation with China in these sectors, said Bongo, who arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for a state visit at the invitation of Hu.

The two countries signed an agreement on economic and technological co-operation Wednesday.

The Chinese president, who visited Gabon in February, said that political and non-governmental exchanges between the two countries should be expanded in order to lay solid foundations for the long-term development of bilateral ties.

Hu described Gabon as "a good friend and a good partner" with China and also promised to deepen their relationship in education, culture and public health sectors.

Hu urged the foreign ministries of the two countries to attach importance to the political consultation mechanism in order to maintain co-ordination and co-operation between the two countries on international affairs.

Hu expressed appreciation for Gabon's support for China on international affairs as well as on for China's reunification cause.

Bongo reiterated that Gabon will continue to adhere to the one-China policy.

On China's relations with African countries, Hu said that China treasures its traditional friendship with Africa and firmly supports the continent's development.

The China-African Co-operation Forum has become an important platform for China and Africa to achieve common development, said Hu.

The forum was initiated in November of 2000 in Beijing with the aim to push the joint development of China and Africa.

In December of last year, top officials from China and African countries, including Premier Wen Jiabao, met in the city of Addis Ababa to discuss how to push co-operation between China and Africa.

Bongo hopes China could play bigger role in solving important issues in Africa.

Bongo, who is visiting China for the ninth time, Wednesday also received an honorary doctorate from Peking University.

He is expected to meet top legislator Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao today.

He will also visit Shanghai and Guangzhou, the capital of South China's Guangdong Province.

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