Chinese President Hu Jintao met visiting Namibian President Sam Nujoma in Beijing Tuesday. Both leaders vowed to strengthen cooperation in various fields between the two countries.

Hu said China is willing to expand bilateral economic cooperation and the Chinese government encourages Chinese businesses to invest in Namibia.

China and Namibia established diplomatic relations in 1990. The trade volume between the two countries reached US$74.57 million last year, up 52 percent compared with 2002.

Nujoma said Namibia would improve the domestic investment environment to attract more Chinese investment, especially in high value-added industries and tourism.

Hu said China, with a deep tradition of friendship with Namibia, supported the country's struggle for national independence before its independence.

Since the establishments of diplomatic relationship 14 years ago, leaders of both countries have kept close contact and bilateral cooperation in economic, cultural and educational fields and the exchanges have been fruitful, Hu said.

China expects to further increase exchanges between leaders, governments, parliaments and political parties of the two countries, and expands bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, culture and education and other fields, Hu said.

Expressing appreciation for China's assistance to Namibia in its fight for independence and reconstruction, Nujoma said he hopes the two countries will take advantage of the sound bilateral political ties to develop reciprocal cooperation in various fields.

Nujoma reiterated that Namibia sticks to the one-China policy, and expressed appreciation of China's positive and constructive role in addressing major international and regional issues, including the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

Hu said the two countries understand and support each other on international issues and China appreciates Namibia's firm stance on supporting China on the Taiwan issue and the issue of human rights.

Nujoma said Namibia would strengthen cooperation with China in international organizations including the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, and jointly enhance South-South, South-North cooperation and promote world peace and development.

After the meeting, the two sides signed two agreements, one on establishment of a joint economic and trade commission and one on economic and technical cooperation, and an implementation program (2005-2008) under the cultural agreement.

Nujoma arrived here Monday on a ten-day working visit to China. It is his twelfth China visit. He and his entourage, including the foreign minister and defense minister, will also visit the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in northwest China and Shanghai Municipality in east China.

(Xinhua News Agency July 21, 2004)