China values international cooperation in poverty reduction and supports the global efforts on poverty alleviation, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Wednesday.

 

This is the highlight of Wen's remarks at separate meetings with Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa, and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who were in Shanghai to attend the Global Conference on Scaling Up Poverty Reduction.

 

The three state leaders spoke highly of the achievement China has made in poverty reduction and expressed the hope to learn China's successful experience.

 

While meeting with Lula, Wen said China and Brazil are both important developing countries in the world and share common interests in a wide field and a sound basis for cooperation.

 

In the 30 years since the two countries forged diplomatic ties, China and Brazil witnessed growing political mutual trust and trade relations, as well as close collaboration in international organizations, Wen said.

 

 

China is willing to join hands with Brazil to substantially implement the guidelines for the bilateral ties that were jointly established by top leaders of the two nations to promote the strategic partnership.

 

Lula said his China visit has achieved positive result, which reflects the common aspiration to promote the strategic partnership between the two countries.

 

Brazil would take concrete measures to carry out the agreements reached by the two heads of state and push forward the bilateral ties.

 

During the meeting with Mkapa, Wen expressed his appreciation over the long-lasting friendship between the two nations and the vitality of bilateral exchanges and cooperation, citing the famous Tanzania-Zambia railway as the symbol of friendship between China and Tanzania.

 

Consolidating and improving ties with the developing countries, including African countries, is one of the basic points of China’s foreign policy, Wen said, adding that China treasures the traditional friendship with Tanzania and would expand mutually-beneficial cooperation with Tanzania in the fields of agriculture, health care and infrastructure construction.

 

China will offer necessary aid for Tanzanian's domestic construction and encourages Chinese enterprises to invest in Tanzania.

 

 

Mkapa said Tanzania appreciates the support and assistance from the Chinese government and people, and its reform and opening-up policy and positive role in international affairs.

 

Tanzania is willing to enhance friendly cooperation with China and explore new methods to strengthen Africa-China ties within the framework of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum, and welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest in Tanzania.

 

On the development of China-Bangladesh relations, Wen put forward three suggestions:

 

-- to enhance communication and exchange between leaders of the two countries;

 

-- to expand bilateral economic and trade cooperation. The Chinese government encourages Chinese enterprises to participate in the economic construction of Bangladesh; and

 

-- to work together to promote regional cooperation.

 

 

 

The Bangladeshi prime minister agreed with Wen and said that the Bangladeshi people are closely watching China's development.

 

It is the target of Bangladesh's foreign policy to develop a closer relationship between Bangladesh and China, and the Bangladeshi government hopes the two countries to push forward cooperation in all fields.

 

The three foreign leaders all reiterated their stand to adhere to the one-China policy and support China's principled stance on human rights, which Wen appreciated.

 

When meeting with James David Wolfensohn, president of the World Bank, Wen said the Chinese government supports the Global Conference on Scaling Up Poverty Reduction sponsored by the World Bank, adding that he hopes the conference could summarize effective poverty-reduction experience from the practice of developing countries.

 

The World Bank shoulders unique responsibilities in alleviating poverty and promoting common development, Wen said.

 

Noting China and the World Bank have had fruitful and mutually-beneficial cooperation in the past two decades, he said China will further cooperate with the World Bank to contribute to the common development of the world.

 

Wolfensohn said the World Bank spoke highly of China's poverty-reduction experience and practice, and will make joint efforts with China to promote South-North dialogue and South-South cooperation.

 

Wen also met with some other foreign delegates to the conference.

 

(Xinhua News Agency May 27, 2004)