Argentina to promote all-round cooperation with China: president

Argentina looks forward to enhancing its cooperation with China in various fields and will learn from China how to maintain balanced and sustainable growth in economic reforms, Argentine President Nestor Kirchner said in Buenos Aires.

"I wish my visit will help to push forward the cooperation with China in political, economic and other fields, and I look forward to making wide-ranging exchanges of views with Chinese leaders on bilateral ties and international issues," Kirchner said in an

interview here with China's leading media on the eve of his first state visit to China scheduled for June 27.

Speaking highly of the remarkable achievements made in China's reform and opening up over the past 25 years, Kirchner said that during his visit he will learn earnestly from China's successful development experience, especially the Chinese government's ways to realize balanced development.

Argentina is looking for a way out after suffering from a serious economic crisis, so it pays great attention to China's development model, said the president.

Unilateralism will do no good in the current world, he said. Latin American states like Argentina should strengthen their relations with China and make joint efforts with China to establish new international relations and order.

On trade and economic cooperation, Kirchner said that Argentina is ready to open its economy to China and believes China will do the same. He said he will sign some cooperation agreements with the Chinese side during the visit and those documents will help to improve bilateral ties.

Various political and economic circles in Argentina attach great significance to the upcoming visit, said Kirchner. Argentina's key cabinet ministers, state secretaries, governors and lawmakers form major provinces as well as more than 100 entrepreneurs will accompany him on his trip to China. This has proved that expanding ties with China has become a common will of Argentina's society and political parties, the president noted.

Kirchner reiterated that Buenos Aires sticks to the one-China policy and considers the Taiwan issue an internal affair of China. Argentina respects the Chinese people's right to self-determination and will not interfere in China's domestic affairs, he stressed.

As the current rotating chairman of the South American Common Market (Mercosur), Kirchner also said he will make efforts to accelerate the cooperation between Mercosur and China.