Chinese Premier Meets Algerian President

Chinese Premier Meets Algerian President

The Chinese government has always attached great importance to developing friendly relations with Algeria, and Sino-Algerian ties have expanded continuously since the two countries established diplomatic ties over 40 years ago.

Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji made the remarks Wednesday when he met with Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who is here attending China-Africa Cooperation Forum -- Ministerial Conference Beijing 2000.

Zhu said the two countries have held common ground over many international issues and conducted good cooperation in all fields.

Bouteflika visited China twice in the 1970s, and great changes have taken place in China during the past 20 years. He invited the president to visit other Chinese cities to understand this country better.

Zhu said China and Algeria have forged traditional friendship in the campaign of opposing imperialism and colonialism early in the 1950s, when Algeria was waging a national liberation war.

Zhu also expressed gratitude to Bouteflika for helping China restore its legitimate seat in the United Nations in the 1970s.

He stressed that the Chinese government appreciates the support of the Algerian government on issues of Taiwan and human rights, and noted that the successful exchange of visits by Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Algerian President Bouteflika will give a new impetus to existing Sino-Algerian friendly relations.

Zhu expressed appreciation for progresses Algeria has made in national reconciliation and economic development under the leadership of President Bouteflika.

Zhu noted that Bouteflika, when he served as president of the Organization of African Unity, held many regional summit meetings and helped Eritrea and Ethiopian reach a cease-fire. He spoke highly of Bouteflika's contribution to strengthening African unity and restoring regional peace.

On Sino-Algerian trade and economic cooperation, Zhu said that it is an important component of friendly relations between China and Algeria. The Chinese government holds that reinforcement of Sino-Algerian economic and trade relations benefits the people of the two countries, and is conducive to pushing forward South-to-South cooperation.

Zhu said that both China and Algeria have carried out economic reforms, and that the economies of the two countries are complementary, and will have more rooms for cooperation.

He said China is ready to work with Algeria to find new ways to expand cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual benefit.

Bouteflika said that Algeria and China enjoy long-term friendship, and recalled that the Chinese government recognized Algeria as soon as it became independent. He expressed satisfaction at the current relationship between Algeria and China.

The president said that the two countries can conduct cooperation in more fields, and that Algeria is ready to work with China to find new ways for common development.

He noted that the ongoing forum shows that China values friendly relations with the African continent, and that Algeria will continue to strengthen existing friendly relations with China.