Wu Guanzheng, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, who is on a friendly visit to Rwanda, met in Kigali Tuesday night with Rwandese President Paul Kagame.

 

Wu, also Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC, conveyed President Hu Jintao's cordial greetings and best wishes to President Kagame.

 

He said bilateral relations have been developing smoothly since the two countries established diplomatic ties 35 years ago. The two sides are politically true-hearted and friendly and treat each other on an equal basis, and have carried out productive cooperation in such fields as economic and trade, culture, education and health care.

 

Both sides have also supported each other and actively cooperated in international affairs, he said, adding that the Chinese side is willing to make the 35th anniversary of the diplomatic ties a new starting point to push forward bilateral friendly cooperation.

 

He expressed appreciation for the achievements by the Rwandese government and people in protecting national stability, promoting national pacification and eliminating poverty, and thanked the Rwandese government for its unswerving one-China policy and support for China's reunification.

 

Speaking of Sino-African relations, Wu said China and Africa have always supported each other and jointly created the grand history of South-South cooperation over the past half century.

 

Noting that it is the basic standpoint of China's foreign affairs policy to reinforce relations and cooperation with African countries, Wu said China is willing to work together with African countries to carry forward traditional friendship, increase mutual trust, deepen mutually-beneficial cooperation, so as to push forward a new strategic Sino-African partnership.

 

Kagame spoke highly of the Rwandese-Chinese relationship of friendly cooperation, saying that the Rwandese-Chinese friendship is firmly based on the friendly relations between the two parties, two governments and two peoples, as well as between China and Africa as a whole.

 

Over the past years, the frequent high-level exchanges between the two countries have effectively pushed forward the development of bilateral relations, said the president.

 

He said the two countries have also had long-lasting friendly cooperation in economic and social fields, especially agriculture, education, medical treatment and health care, and infrastructure construction.

 

The Rwandese party, government and people will not forget the sincere support and help from the Chinese party, government and people, Kagame added.

 

He said he is looking forward to participating in the up-coming Beijing Summit of the Sino-African Cooperation Forum, and hopes to further reinforce mutually-beneficial cooperation with China in political, economic and trade and social fields.

 

After the meeting, Wu and Kagame witnessed the signing of economic and technological cooperation agreements between the two governments.

 

Earlier in the afternoon, Wu visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 30, 2006)