Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, February 27, 2004
China expresses condolences over death of Macedonian president
Chinese President Hu Jintao expressed his condolences over the death of Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski, who was killed in a plane crash Thursday, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Friday.
Chinese President Hu Jintao expressed his condolences over the death of Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski, who was killed in a plane crash Thursday, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Friday.
Zhang Qiyue said as an outstanding politician in Macedonia, Trajkovski had made great efforts to ensure stability in southeast Europe and to promote the development of Macedonia.
She said the Chinese government was in "great shock" and "deep sorrow" at the news of the Macedonian president's death, and President Hu had sent a condolence message to Macedonian Assembly President Ljupco Jordanovski, who has assumed the interim presidency.
Meanwhile, on Friday noon, Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuanwent to the Macedonian Embassy in Beijing, observed a one-minute silence in honor of Trajkovski and wrote his words of condolence.
Trajkovski was a close friend of the Chinese people, said Zhang,adding that when the China-Macedonia ties were at a difficult stage, it was Trajkovski that firmly abided by the "one-China" policy on the Taiwan issue. When the two countries' relations werenormalized, Trajkovski visited China in 2002 to improve ties.
Zhang said the Chinese government and people spoke highly of Trajkovski's contribution to China-Macedonia relations, and appreciated his support for China's reunification. She expressed the hope to further develop the China-Macedonia relations on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.
Trajkovski and eight other staff members were killed Thursday morning when their plane crashed into the mountainous terrain nearMostar in Bosnia-Herzegovina on their way to an international economic conference in Mostar.
Born on June 25, 1956, Trajkovski was inaugurated as the second president of the Republic of Macedonia in December 1999. He made one state visit to China in April 2002.