Chairman Li Peng's Visit A Complete Success

The attendance of China's top legislator, Li Peng, at the Conference of Presiding Officers of National Parliaments at UN headquarters along with the visit he made to six countries were a complete success.

The remarks came from a spokesman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Tuesday.

Li Peng, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, returned to Beijing this afternoon after attending the UN meeting and visiting Iceland, Lithuania, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia and Russia. The UN meeting, from August 30 to September 1, which coincided with the UN Millennium Summit, was the largest gathering since the founding of the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) more than 100 years ago.

During the event, participants held in-depth discussions on how the IPU and the parliaments of different countries could strengthen cooperation, promote the process of multi-polarity, deal with challenges, and issued a declaration.

The conference embodied the spirit of enhancing mutual understanding, seeking common ground while reserving differences, and expanding consensus, and made positive results, the spokesman said.

Li Peng, as the head of the Chinese NPC delegation, attended the conference, indicating the importance attached by China to the conference.

At the conference, Li said all countries, big or small, should be equal, national sovereignty can not be violated, the internal affairs of each country can not be interfered with, and the people of each country have the right to choose their own way of development.

All these remarks were welcomed and supported by parliament leaders, especially those from developing countries, the spokesman said, adding that China's constructive suggestions were reflected in the lecture of the chairman of the conference and the final documents.

During his visit to the six countries, Li met with presidents, parliament leaders and prime ministers of the countries, exchanging views with them on bilateral relations as well as other issues of common concern.

Li also had wide-ranging discussions with people from various walks of life in the different countries, including personnel from education, economy, culture, science and technology as well as parliamentary and governmental officials.

Li's visit to Iceland, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia was a return visit after their parliamentary leaders' visit to China, and also the first visit to Iceland and the three Baltic countries by a top Chinese leader.

Relations between China and the six countries have been developing steadily since China established diplomatic ties with them, the spokesman said, adding that Li's visit was a major step toward pushing forward China's friendship and cooperation with the countries.

Li's visits have promoted mutual understanding and trust, friendship and cooperation between China and these countries, the spokesman said.



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