The Chinese government will make concerted efforts with Chile to
further develop bilateral relations, Chinese President Jiang Zemin
told visiting Chilean President Ricardo Lagos Escobar Tuesday.
Escobar is on a state visit to China as Jiang's guest.
During the talks, they exchanged views on the ties between the two
countries and other issues of common concern, and reached wide-
ranging consensus.
Jiang expressed his pleasure with the progress made in Sino-
Chilean relations since he visited that country in April this year.
He mentioned the countries have witnessed remarkable achievements
in various fields in the 31 years of their diplomatic ties.
His Chile visit in April, during which he and Lagos agreed to
establish long-term, steady, equal and reciprocal cooperative
relations between the two countries, has promoted bilateral
relations to a new phase, noted Jiang.
Stating that both China and Chile are developing nations facing the
tasks of safeguarding national independence, security and
sovereignty and building their economies, Jiang pointed out that it
is in the fundamental interests of the two peoples to strengthen
their cooperation.
On
bilateral economic and trade relations, Jiang said that the two
economies are highly complementary, and they boast vast potential
for bilateral trade cooperation as Chile has become China’s second
largest trade partner in Latin America. He stressed that the
Chinese government takes a positive view of bilateral economic and
trade ties, hoping that entrepreneurs of both sides would look for
more ways to increase two-way economic and trade cooperation.
The Chinese government encourages Chinese businesses to invest in
Chile and welcomes Chilean businesses to come to China, said
Jiang.
Jiang pointed to China's upcoming entry into the World Trade
Organization (WTO), saying that China will further reform and open
up and strengthen its economic and trade cooperation with other
countries in the world, including Chile.
Saying he was satisfied with bilateral scientific and technological
exchanges, Jiang cited the six joint committee meetings and over
100 cooperative projects between the two sides.
He
noted that the two countries have carried out successful
cooperation in agriculture and earthquake monitoring, and there are
broad prospects for exchanges in the information industry.
He
said he hoped that scientists of both countries would work together
on more projects and explore more cooperative areas.
Lagos expressed his delight at the continuous development of
bilateral relations since they set up diplomatic ties.
He
noted that Chile and China have had good cooperative experiences in
such fields as economy, trade, science, technology and
agriculture.
Their constant talks and reciprocal cooperation have deepened
mutual understanding and trust and provided each other with new
cooperation opportunities, added Lagos.
He
went on to say that Chile and China have maintained good
consultations and cooperation in international organizations and
multi-national fields, and share wide-ranging common points of
view.
He
appreciated the Chinese Foreign Minister's participation in the
first East Asia-Latin America Forum held in Chile and was satisfied
with the coordination between the Rio Group and China.
He
said he hoped that Latin America and China would further strengthen
dialog so as to see more results in their cooperation.
The two leaders also exchanged in-depth views on the current
international situation and issues like anti-terrorism, and they
condemned terrorism of any form.
Lagos said that the September 11 attacks in the United States have
altered the normal international order, and anti-terrorism requires
the comprehensive participation of the whole world.
The new world situation has provided Chile and China with more
openings for cooperation, added Lagos.
Jiang said the Chinese government firmly opposes terrorism of any
form, and supports the resolutions passed by the United Nations
(UN) General Assembly and Security Council and actions against
terrorism.
Pointing out that the fight against terrorism will be a long and
difficult task, Jiang stressed that complex international
cooperation at various levels should be strengthened and the UN and
its Security Council should play a leading role.
China is ready to strengthen consultations and cooperation with all
parties including Chile on anti-terrorism, added Jiang.
After the talks, the two leaders attended a signing ceremony for
bilateral cooperative documents covering plant quarantines, and
agricultural science and technology.
Before the talks, Jiang presided over a welcoming ceremony for
Lagos.
(Xinhua News
Agency October 24, 2001)