Chinese president meets Papua New Guinean leader on ties

Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) meets with Michael Thomas Somare, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, in Santiago, Chile, Nov. 21, 2004.

Chinese President Hu Jintao said Sunday that the relations between China and Papua New Guinea have developed smoothly in recent years.

He made the remarks during his meeting with Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Michael Somare on the sidelines of the 12th Economic Leaders' Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC).

During the meeting, Hu recalled Somare's visit to China in February, saying the trip had positive results including a joint statement and set a framework for the two sides to broaden and deepen friendly cooperation in various fields in the new century.

Currently, the two countries are enjoying strong economic and trade relations, ever-expanding cooperation in such areas as culture, education, health and agriculture, and good coordination in international and regional organizations, Hu said.

"As both of us are developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region, we can learn from each other the ways of developing economy and improving people's living standards. There is enormous potential for us to strengthen cooperation of mutual benefit," said the Chinese leader.

Hu also pledged that the Chinese government will continue to provide aid to Papua New Guinea, saying China has decided to provide medicine and medical equipment worth 5 million Chinese yuan, or 600,000 US dollars, to the South Pacific country in support of its work in AIDS prevention and treatment.

For his part, Somare said his country appreciates the valuable support and aid offered by China over the past years, which are conducive to its economic and social development.

He told Hu that some joint projects in the fields of agriculture, fishery and mining in his country have achieved good results, including a wheat-planting technology that has brought the new crop to Papua New Guinea.

The prime minister also said his nation welcomes Chinese enterprises' investment and business in Papua New Guinea, thus expanding the scope of cooperation between the two countries.

Somare also praised the bilateral agreements on economic and trade cooperation, which were signed during his visit to China this year, for fully demonstrating the friendly relations between the two countries.

The Papua New Guinean government, Somare stressed, will continue to stick to the one-China policy.

Along with other leaders of the 21-member APEC, Hu and Somare attended the two-day APEC meeting here on Saturday and Sunday. The meeting's theme this year is "One Community, Our future."