China, Belarus Vow to Expand CooperationChina and Belarus will make every effort to expand bilateral cooperation in various areas, said a joint statement issued Thursday in Minsk.Chinese President Jiang Zemin, who is on a state visit to Belarus, met with his Belarussian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko Thursday morning. Jiang also met with Belarussian Prime Minister Vladimir Yermoshin, speakers of the upper and lower chamber of Belarussian National Assembly. The statement, issued following the meetings, says the first ever state visit to Belarus by China's head of state has injected new vigor in bilateral relations and will help the relations grow stably for a long time. The two sides agree that all political documents signed by the two sides are the firm basis to ensure a full-range cooperative China-Belarus relations be developed in the 21st century. The two sides are determined to expand their mutually-beneficial relations through unremitting efforts. The two sides agree they will maintain constant contact between senior leaders of the two countries to exchange views on the development of bilateral relations and major issues of the world. The two leaders reaffirmed that they hold the same or similar views on a series of major international issues. Both insist that coordination and close cooperation within the framework of the United Nations and other international organizations be enhanced and joint efforts be made for the establishment of a fair and rational international political and economic order. The statement says the role and functions of the United Nations, the world's most recognized and most authoritative organization composed of sovereign states, cannot be replaced by that of any other international organizations. Only by abiding by the objectives and principles of the UN Charter and generally-acknowledged norms of international laws, and taking the special characteristics of different nations into consideration, can the international community survive the challenges of the 21st century through collective efforts, says the statement. The two sides stressed that they will never accept any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of a sovereign state under any pretext that is against the objectives and principles of the UN Charter. China and Belarus reiterated that it is within the sovereign power of each state to choose its own political, economic and social development approach. They support each other on their efforts to maintain independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Belarus reiterated that it will uphold its consistent policy on the issue of Taiwan, which is that there is only one China in the world and the Government of the People's Republic of China is the only legitimate government representing China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. The two leaders also stressed that the Treaty on the Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems (ABM) signed in 1972 is a cornerstone for international strategic balance and security. The relevant resolutions jointly initiated by China and Belarus and some other countries and adopted by the UN assembly in 1999 and 2000 to maintain and uphold the ABM is of great importance, says the statement. It says China and Belarus will increase contacts between the legislatures, government departments and social organizations of the two countries, and expand cooperation in areas of science and technology, education, culture, public health, social security, tourism and sports. Jiang invited President Lukashenko to visit China again and Lukashenko accepted his invitation. The specific time for the visit will be decided through diplomatic channels. |
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