China Hopes to See Continuous Growth of Ties with Georgia: Premier

Premier Zhu Meets with Visiting Georgian State Minister

---

Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji said Thursday that China believes concerted efforts made by both China and Georgia will push forward bilateral ties in the new century.

During the meeting with visiting Georgian State Minister Giya Arsenishvili, Zhu said China sincerely wishes to expand mutually beneficial cooperation with Georgia on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence.

After giving high remarks on the steady growth of bilateral ties, Zhu said that the joint statement signed by Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Georgian President Eduard Amvrosiyevich Shevardnadze has laid a solid foundation for development of ties, and China respects the social system and development path chosen by the Georgian people according to the country's own national conditions.

The premier extended gratitude for the support given by Georgia to China in international affairs.

Arsenishvili conveyed regards from President Shevardnadze to Premier Zhu and said that the development of Georgia-China ties was a priority on Georgia's foreign policy agenda.

Georgia wants to strengthen cooperation with China in political and economic areas and deepen and expand bilateral ties, he said.

He also thanked China for the political support and economic assistance given to Georgia during the past ten years after its independence.

He said his current China visit is mainly aimed at expanding economic cooperation with China and he had reached consensus in the regard during his talks with Chinese Vice-Premier Li Lanqing Wednesday.

Zhu said that positive results have already been achieved in such areas as economy, trade, energy, science and technology, and culture, but great potential remains to be tapped.

He hoped the two countries give full play to the China-Georgia mixed economic and trade committee as well as the science and technology committee.