Chinese, Barbados PMs Hold Talks

Zhu Rongji Meets Barbados Prime Minister

China and Barbados Monday vowed to further promote their mutually beneficial relationship in the 21st century.

During a 90-minute talk between Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji and his Barbados counterpart Owen Arthur today, Premier Zhu said China places great importance on its relations with Barbados, and is willing to join hands to further develop friendship and cooperation in the years ahead.

Arthur, who arrived in the Chinese capital Sunday morning on a six-day official visit, said his country attaches great importance to its relations with China, and holds that maintaining and developing strong relations with China constitutes an important part of Barbados' foreign policy.

Zhu added that in the current intricate and changing international situation, strengthening cooperation and common development accords with the fundamental interests and shared aspiration of the people of both countries.

"China and Barbados, both developing countries, have friendly relations, and they share many identical viewpoints on major international issues, therefore, we are trustworthy friends," Zhu said.

Noting that bilateral relations have been developing steadily since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1977 thanks to joint efforts, Zhu said, the two countries have had fruitful cooperation in the areas of politics, economics, culture, and education and sports.

They have also supported and closely cooperated with each other in international affairs, he said.

Arthur told Zhu that the Barbados government firmly supports China's foreign policy of peace, and will continue to pursue the one-China policy.

The Chinese government highly values and is grateful for the Barbados government's support for China's joining the World Trade Organization and the Caribbean Development Bank, and becoming an observer in the Association of Caribbean States, the Chinese premier said.

He also expressed gratitude and appreciation for the Barbados government's consistent adherence to the one-China policy.

In bilateral economic and trade relations, Zhu said that Barbados is one of the countries in the Caribbean region with a relatively developed economy, and China wants to boost its economic and trade cooperation with Barbados based on equality and mutual benefit.

An agreement signed in 1998 for boosting and protecting investment has created a favorable environment for the further growth of bilateral economic and trade cooperation, he added. China also hopes to develop technological cooperation with Barbados in an active manner, Zhu said.

Hearing Zhu's briefing on China's economy, Arthur expressed his admiration for the achievements of its modernization drive, and said he hopes China will become a global economic power as soon as possible.

After the talks, the two prime ministers witnessed the signing of an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income. Prior to the talks, Premier Zhu presided over a welcoming ceremony in honor of Arthur.