Vice Premier Wu Yi met in Xiamen, Fujian Province, Thursday with Arabian and African delegates attending the tenth China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT).

 

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Arab countries and African countries respectively.

 

Wu said there are frequent high-level exchanges of visits between China and Arab and African countries, and the two sides achieved substantial cooperation in various fields during the past 50 years.

 

The second ministerial meeting of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum was held in Beijing this April. A summit between China and African countries, as well as the third ministerial meeting of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum will also be held in Beijing this November.

 

The events have become "important platform" for China to carry out friendly exchanges and substantial cooperation with the two sides respectively, Wu noted.

 

Wu also briefed the guests on more information about the CIFIT, saying this is the only international fair in China aimed at promoting two-way investment.

 

She hoped the guests can take the opportunity to introduce more things to the Chinese companies about their domestic investment condition and policies, so as to promote their economic and trade cooperation with China.

 

The foreign guests said they are willing to learn from China's experience in economic development, and expand economic and trade cooperation with China. They also hoped more Chinese companies to invest in Arab and African countries.

 

Wu also met with head of Japan-Chinese Investment Promotion Organization Toyoda Shoichiro.

 

Wu said China and Japan are neighboring countries as well as important trading partners. To develop a long-term steady China-Japan good-neighborly partnership is in the interest of the two countries and the two peoples.

 

She hoped the Japanese business circle can play an active role in improving and promoting the bilateral relations between the two countries.

 

Wu also spoke highly of the efforts made by the Japan-Chinese Investment Promotion Organization in pushing forward the bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

 

As China is implementing the 11th Five-Year Plan on social and economic development, Wu called for the Japanese entrepreneurs to grasp the opportunity and increase investment to China, in a bid to achieve win-win cooperation.

 

Toyoda Shoichiro said Chinese economy is on fast growth, and the Chinese government has made effective efforts to improve the investment conditions.

 

He said the Japanese businesses are willing to increase investment to China and strengthen cooperation with Chinese companies in such areas as energy saving and environmental protection.

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 8, 2006)