China, PNG Friendship Conforms to Common Aspirations: Jiang

Jiang Zemin Meets PNG Prime Minister

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The friendly relations between China and Papua New Guinea (PNG) are in line with the common aspirations of the two peoples and the trend of world peace and development, said Chinese President Jiang Zemin during a meeting Monday afternoon with PNG Prime Minister Mekere Morauta.

"Leaders of the two countries should stand at the height of the time, proceed from the fundamental interests of the two nations and enhance bilateral cooperation, in a bid to bring the friendly cooperative relations between China and PNG to a new high," he said.

Jiang recalled his meeting and friendly talks with Morauta during the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Informal Leadership Meeting in Auckland in September 1999, saying that he is "extremely happy" to meet Morauta again in Beijing.

China-PNG relations have been going on well and yielded significant results since the two countries forged diplomatic ties 25 years ago, Jiang said, noting that bilateral exchanges and cooperation have been enhanced in the trade and economic sectors as well as culture and education.

Meanwhile, Jiang predicted that bilateral relations with PNG still have great potential and broad prospects for further development.

As developing nations, China and PNG are both dedicated to economic development and improvement in people's living standards, Jiang said. "It will benefit the peoples of the two countries and will contribute to South-South cooperation if we expand trade and economic cooperation on the basis of mutual understanding, trust, equality and reciprocity," he said.

Morauta voiced his pleasure at visiting China right before the 25th anniversary of Sino-PNG diplomatic ties, saying that he is happy to see that PNG-China relations are going "unprecedentedly well". He conveyed to Jiang the best regards from the PNG government and people, saying that the PNG government is willing to make further efforts to enhance the friendly cooperative relations with China, so that such relations will be deeply rooted in the two peoples.

Morauta reiterated the PNG government's adherence to the "one China" policy, saying that the PNG government will never have any official relations with Taiwan. He also voiced support for China's entry to the World Trade Organization at an early date.

Morauta arrived here earlier Monday on a week-long official visit to China as guest of Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji.