Chinese President Holds Talks With Belarussian President

Chinese President Holds Talks With Belarussian President

---

Chinese President Jiang Zemin said Thursday in Minsk that China will work with the Belarussian side together to bring the full-range friendly and cooperative relations between China and Belarus to a higher level in the new century.

Jiang, who is on a state visit to Belarus, made the remarks during talks with Alexander Lukashenko, president of Belarus.

China has always paid great attention to developing relations with Belarus and respected the choice Belarus made on its development approach and its internal and foreign policy, Jiang said.

China supports the efforts of Belarus to oppose any foreign interference and to safeguard its national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Jiang said China is thankful of the support from Belarus on issue of Taiwan, Tibet and human rights.

Lukashenko said Belarus will continue to follow the basic principles set in the course of bilateral relations over the past years. He said Belarus highly appreciates the support and help from China on international and bilateral occasions.

Lukashenko described China as a "trustworthy friend" who always stands side by side with Belarus under whatever circumstances.

Jiang said China and Belarus have forged a full-range cooperative relations characterized with high-level trust and close cooperation, and guided by principles of mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit and non-interference into each other's internal affairs.

Bilateral trade volume between China and Belarus hit 100 million U.S. dollars last year. President Lukasenko set the target of trade at 500 million U.S. dollars during his visit to China last April.

Jiang said he agrees with the president on the trade target, saying it is a very positive concept. Jiang said the two sides should conduct more direct trade and encourage businessmen of the two sides to have more contact.

The two presidents also exchanged views on the current world situation. Lukashenko said the two sides share same or similar views on many international issues, like establishing a fair and rational new international political and economic order, maintaining the strategic balance and security of the world, and opposing any attempts to undermine the treaty on the limitation of anti-ballistic missile systems.

Lukashenko stressed the two sides should step up cooperation and coordination on major international issues in the future.

Belarus is the second leg of Jiang's five-nation tour to Europe, which will also take him to Moldova, Ukraine and Malta. He visited Russia this week.