China will work with Tajikistan to jointly combat trans-national crimes and all terrorist activities, said Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Zhou Yongkang in Beijing Tuesday.  

Zhou made the remarks during a meeting with Tajikistan Minister of the Interior Kholiddin Sharipov who is here as a guest of the Chinese Public Security Ministry.

Zhou said the two ministries should strengthen cooperation so as to protect the rights and interests of the two peoples and continuously strengthen bilateral good-neighborly friendship and cooperation.

The Chinese minister hailed the sound development of bilateral relations of good-neighborly friendship and mutual benefit, and frequent exchanges of high-level visits between the two countries with increasing political mutual trust.

China and Tajikistan share identical or similar positions and have had close cooperation on major international and regional issues, said Zhou.

Sharipov said the two sides should strengthen cooperation in a bid to effectively fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism, known as the "three forces", and safeguard the security and stability of the two countries.

(Xinhua News Agency March 24, 2004)