Colombian Foreign Minister Carolina Barco, who is scheduled to travel to China on April 6, said her visit is aimed at strengthening political, economic and social relations between the two countries.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Barco stressed that for Colombia, the global leadership and importance of a nation like China are vital.

"This visit is of utmost importance for Colombia because we see China as a country of tremendous leadership and importance in the world, where we have been given examples of its economic and social improvements," the minister said.

"We want to strengthen our political ties and be able to carry out common projects related to political, economic and social aspects," she added.

Barco voiced her interest in China's scientific improvements, saying she would call for a meeting of the bilateral cooperation committee dedicated to this issue.

"In the visit I would also like to propose a meeting of the Mixed Commission of Technical and Scientific Cooperation that seems to be for us another area where we could be working with China," she said.

Speaking of her country's economic development, Barco said, "Colombia, at this moment, the same as China, is in the processes of different levels and we are participating in the discussions ofthe World Trade Organization, the Doha Round, and the Andean Community (Ancom)."

She noted that in the same way, "we are participating in the FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas) negotiations at a hemispherical level and we are taking part in the negotiations" between Ancom and the Common Market of the South.

The minister also referred to Ancom's approaches to Europe and China.

"We are seeking an approach of Ancom toward Europe, and last September we had a chance to meet with Chinese representatives to review the approaches of Ancom and China," Barco said.

During the visit, she said, she would seek to call the attention of Chinese consumers to Colombian coffee and propose an exchange of new products between the two countries.

She indicated that Colombia had some interesting proposals on economy and cooperation for China.

"We wish to have a wider view and we will present a proposal to see how we can move deeper in the markets," she said.

(Xinhua News Agency April 5, 2004)