Chinese Vice-president Meets Gabonese Defense MinisterVice President Hu Jintao said Wednesday that China values its traditional friendship with Gabon and the development of long-term stable and all-round cooperative ties with African countries.In a meeting with Gabonese Defense Minister Ali Bongo, Hu said that relations between the two countries and their armies have been developing smoothly since diplomatic relations were forged in 1974. Hu, also vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, said that bilateral cooperation has been fruitful. China highly appreciates the efforts of the Gabonese government to attach importance to developing relations with China and the government's one-China position, Hu said. He also thanked Gabon for its consistent support to China in international affairs. Hu said that he believes the relations between the two countries and their armies will continue to advance in the new century. Bongo said that his country and China have always maintained friendly exchanges and his current visit is to explore new areas of cooperation and further the existing bilateral friendly cooperation. He thanked the Chinese government for its assistance to Gabon and reiterated that Gabon will stick to the one-China position. Present at the meeting were Chinese minister of defense Chi Haotian and other senior officers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. |
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