China said yesterday UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan had helped strengthen cooperation between China and the UN during his 10-year tenure.

 

"Annan has made persistent efforts to push forward and enhance the UN's role in safeguarding peace and stability of the world as well as promoting world development during the past 10 years," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a regular press conference.

 

China highly appreciates Annan's work to strengthening cooperation between China and the UN, Qin said.

 

Annan will end his job as Secretary-General on December 31. He will be replaced by South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon, who took the oath of office yesterday morning. Ban will formally take over his duties as the UN chief on January 1, 2007.

 

"Annan is a good friend of China. We wish him a smooth and pleasant life and work in future," Qin said.

 

Turning to Sino-African ties, Qin said the cooperation is mutually beneficial and aims to achieve a win-win outcome.

 

Media reports quoted South African President Thabo Mbeki stating that Africa must guard against becoming a mere raw material supplier for China.

 

Commenting on this report, Qin said he did not know in what context Mbeki made his comments, but that Mbeki has previously stated that South Africa wishes to strengthen cooperation with China.

 

"I don't understand why some people and countries are so worried about the development of ties between China and Africa," he said.

 

"I can tell these people that times have changed, the global current has changed and no forces can obstruct the trend of closer cooperation between China and Africa," he added.

 

In another development, Qin said China and Kazakhstan would sign about a dozen agreements of cooperation at the occasion of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev's upcoming visit.

 

Nazarbayev is to visit China from December 19 to 23, with both countries set to exchange views on expanding cooperation in various fields.

 

President Hu Jintao, top legislator Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao will all hold talks and meet with him, Qin said.

 

"China and Kazakhstan have maintained a good-neighborly relationship and the two sides will celebrate the 15th anniversary of diplomatic relations next January," he added.

 

Over the past 15 years, Qin said, the bilateral ties between the two countries have deepened and the China-Kazakhstan strategic partnership has scored fruitful achievements within bilateral or regional organization framework.

 

China highly values its relations with Kazakhstan, which is an important neighbor and partner of China, he noted.

 

Qin announced that Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdul Ilah Al-Khatib will pay a working visit to China from December18 to 19.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 15, 2006)