Premier Zhu Rongji made this remark Thursday during his talks in Beijing with visiting Mozambican Prime Minister Pascoal Manuel Mocumbi who arrived here Wednesday for an eight-day working visit as Zhu's guest.

Zhu said he appreciates Mocumbi's contribution to bilateral friendship and cooperation, and is convinced this visit will further this friendship and cooperation.

He noted that China and Mozambique, both developing countries, have good relations, share a broad interest in international affairs and have supported each other and worked together on major international issues.

He expressed his appreciations for Mozambique's past adherence to the "one China" policy and for its firm support for China's reunification and to its stance on major international issues like human rights.

The Chinese premier also noted that bilateral cooperation in trade, economy, technology and investment had progressed well as had projects in Mozambique which had received aid from China.

Chinese enterprises have taken an active part in Mozambique's economic development with fruitful results in aquatic farming and agriculture, he said. The China investment and trade promotion center, which is to open at the end of this year, will play a positive role in furthering bilateral economic and trade relations.

He noted the two economies are highly complementary and the development of bilateral economic and trade cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual benefit has a promising future.

Zhu also briefed Mocumbi on the follow-up actions of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum initiated by China in 2000, and said everything is going smoothly.

He stated that China has signed debt reduction or exemption agreements with 31 African nations including Mozambique, and Sino-African trade has grown quite rapidly.

The two sides also cooperated in human resources development, agriculture and environmental protection, Zhu noted, citing the bilateral seminar on agricultural cooperation convened in Beijing in late September, a senior officials forum to be held in Ethiopia in November and a ministers' meeting to be held next year.

The Chinese side is willing to make concerted efforts with African countries to make the forum mechanism better serve the development of Sino-African friendship and cooperation, said Zhu.

Echoing Premier Zhu, Mocumbi reviewed the growth of bilateral friendship and cooperation and said Mozambique adheres to a "one China" policy and believes that China's reunification will surely be accomplished.

He noted Mozambique thinks highly of China's independent foreign policy of peace and is convinced this policy will not only benefit peace and stability in Asia, but also play a vital role in world peace and stability.

Mozambique will continue close consultation and cooperation with China in international affairs so as to meet the demands brought by volatile changes and development of the international situation, said Mocumbi.

Voicing his appreciations for China's aid to Mozambique, he said his country hopes to learn from China's experience in agriculture, port development and the establishment of economic development zones and to cooperate with China in these fields.

Moreover, Mozambique hopes to draw more Chinese investment, Mocumbi went on to say, adding he believes that the China Investment and Trade Promotion Center in Mozambique will stimulate investment from China.

Mocumbi acknowledged that the China-Africa Cooperation Forum is very important and will benefit African countries in many spheres including agriculture and human resources development.

He also offered 20,000 US dollars to China's flooded areas, and Zhu thanked him for this assistance.

Following the talks, an agreement on economic and technological cooperation between the two governments and a memorandum of understanding on agricultural cooperation were signed.

(Xinhua News Agency October 10, 2002)