Chinese Premier Holds Talks with Lebanese Counterpart

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, April 29, 2002

Chinese Premier Holds Talks with Lebanese Counterpart

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The Chinese government has always attached great significance to the China-Lebanon traditional friendship, and is ready to develop all-round friendly and cooperative ties in line with the five principles of peaceful co-existence.

Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji made the remarks in Beijing Sunday while holding talks with Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

On bilateral ties and regional and international issues

They exchanged views on bilateral ties and regional and international issues of common concern, and reached a broad consensus.

Zhu said he appreciates the efforts Hariri has made in promoting China-Lebanon relations, and he believes that his visit will inject new vitality into the bilateral friendly cooperation.

He values highly their bilateral relations, saying Hariri's last China tour ushered in a new phase which brought an increase in high-level exchange visits, an expansion in the fields of cooperation, and progress in bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

Zhu added that China is satisfied with the current development of bilateral ties.

Zhu pointed out China and Lebanon have no conflict of interests and added that they hold similar or identical views on many significant international and regional issues.

He expressed appreciation for Lebanon's long-term stance of sticking to the one-China principle and not developing official ties with Taiwan, noting that the Chinese side also firmly supports Lebanon's just struggle towards safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Mutual sympathy and support will add to the sustained development of bilateral ties, Zhu stressed, adding that China will join with the Lebanese side in further promoting their friendly cooperation.

Hariri completely agreed with Zhu on his evaluation of bilateral relations.

He said over recent years Lebanon-China ties have rapidly developed and the exchange of high-level visits and strengthened cooperation between the two sides, in all spheres, have pushed their relations forward.

The two parties also exchanged views on trade and economic relations and the Middle East issue.

Two documents signed

After the talks, Zhu and Hariri attended a ceremony for signing two documents presented by relevant departments from the two nations, one concerning the first meeting of the mixed committee of the two governments' economic, technological, and trade cooperation, and the other on the implementation of a plan for a cultural pact between the two governments.

Before the talks, Zhu held a welcoming ceremony in honor of Hariri.

Senior officials from both sides, including Chinese foreign and cultural ministers, and Lebanese tourism, trade and cultural ministers, were present at the talks.

China and Lebanon

Political Relations

On Nov. 9,1971,China and Lebanon established diplomatic relation. After that, some senior Lebanese officials have visited China, among whom were Foreign Minister KHALIL ABU HAMAD, Secretary General of Foreign Ministry TULK, Chairman of the Progressive Socialist Party WALID JOUMBLATT, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Affairs FARES BOUEIZ, Prime Minister RAFIC HARIRI, Secretary General of Foreign Ministry ZAFER AL-HASSAN, etc.

And visitors from the Chinese side were Vice Foreign Ministers HeYing, Qi Huaiyuan, Yang Fuchang and Tian Zengpei, President of the Textile Industry Federation Wu Wenying, Vice Minister of Transportation Liu Songjin, Vice Chairwoman of All-China Women's Federation Huang Qizao, Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Liu Shanzai, Assistant Foreign Minister Ji Peiding, Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Qian Qichen and Vice Chairman of NPC Standing Committee Tomur Dawamat.

Trade and Economic Relations

Agreements that have been signed between China and Lebanon include: Trade Agreement, Agreement On Investment Protection, Agreement On Economic, Trade and Technological Cooperation, etc. In 2000, the Chinese Government provided gratuitous aids of 5 million RBM to Lebanon.

In 1999, the total volume of imports and exports between the two countries was $169 million, China exported $168 million and imported $414,000.

Sources from: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

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