Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan met in Beijing Wednesday with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Zimbabwe Stan Mudenge, who is attending the sixth meeting of the bilateral economic and trade joint committee.

Tang said he highly valued the traditional friendship between China and Zimbabwe and thanked the Zimbabwean government for its long-standing support for the one-China policy.

Tang said the Chinese government would continue providing aids to Zimbabwe within its capacity.

The Chinese government also encourages Chinese enterprises to invest in Zimbabwe and strengthen cooperative business relations in agriculture and mineral resources.

Mudenge expressed his gratitude to the Chinese government for its aid and support to the Zimbabwean people. He reiterated that his government will stick to the one-China policy.

He said his country wishes to develop ties with Asian countries, particularly with China.

The Zimbabwean government welcomes Chinese businesses to cooperate with the Zimbabwean side on mineral resources development.

He said his country plans to establish a general consulate in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, in a bid to promote trade and economic ties with the Chinese.

(Xinhua News Agency September 15, 2004)