Mauritian Prime Minister Paul Raymond Berenger met visiting Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan in Port Louis Monday with both of them pledging to deepen friendly bilateral relations and expand their mutual beneficial cooperation. 

Zeng said China and Mauritius have enjoyed long and traditional friendship, and the bilateral relations have been growing steadily since the two countries established diplomatic relations 33 years ago.

High-level contact and exchanges between China and Mauritius have been frequent, and their cooperation in various fields has been effective, Zeng said, stressing that China highly appreciates the Mauritian government's adherence to the one-China policy.

Zeng said the recent visit paid by Berenger to China was successful, since the two countries' leaders have reached important consensus on further developing Sino-Mauritian relationship, with the two sides entering into agreements on economic and technology cooperation.

The Chinese side would like to join hands with Mauritius to promote the bilateral relations to a new level by carrying out a variety of cooperation in the principle of mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit and common development, said Zeng.

China forged diplomatic ties with the Indian Ocean island country in 1972. Trade volume between the two sides reached US$138.28 million in 2004.

Berenger recalled his recent visit to China, saying he has visited China for three times and each time he could feel the great changes taking place in the country.

He thanked the Chinese government for providing Mauritius with aid and pledged that his government will strengthen cooperation with the Chinese side in political, economic and cultural fields to consolidate the traditional relationship between the two countries.

After the talk, Zeng left here for Beijing, concluding his African tour, which has taken him on official visits to Kenya, the Republic of the Congo and Angola.

(Xinhua News Agency March 1, 2005)