The Botswanian government consistently supports the "one China" policy and hopes to see the reunification of the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, the diamond-rich nation's foreign minister said Thursday.

"The People's Republic of China is the representation of all Chinese people. The Chinese mainland and Taiwan should be reunited," Mompati Merafhe told Xinhua in an exclusive interview in his constituency in Mahalapye, about 200 km northeast of Gaborone.

Merafhe, who is also a member of the National Assembly, Botswana's parliament, was busy campaigning for another five-year term and is expected to win in the general elections to be held on Saturday.

"Botswana and China have very strong partnership in development and the 'one China' policy," he said. "We're looking forward to a time when the Chinese mainland and Taiwan are reunited."

The minister said Chinese are friends indeed because they are friends in need.

Chinese people have greatly contributed to the development of Botswana, he said, citing hospitals, schools and roads they have built in the southern African country.

"There is no problem at all in the relationship between Botswana and China," Merafhe said. "The Botswana government will continuously support China over issues like Taiwan and human rights."

China and Botswana established diplomatic relations in 1975 and have ever since maintained friendly ties.

With a population of 1.76 million and an area of 582,000 sq km, Botswana is one of the world's biggest diamond producers and fastest growing economies, reporting a 7.4 percent growth in 2003 and per capita gross domestic product of more than 3,000 US dollars.

Source: Xinhua