Chinese Premier meets foreign leaders on trade
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E-mail Xinhua, May 29, 2012
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met on Monday with foreign leaders from Zimbabwe, Qatar and Laos and proposed further trade cooperation.
In his meeting with Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Wen highlighted the traditional friendship between the two peoples and the solid foundation laid between the two political communities.
China is willing to further assist Zimbabwe in fields including education, public health, agriculture and energy and encourage Chinese companies to expand their investment in the country, Wen told Tsvangirai.
He proposed that the two nations provide further guidelines for an expansion of bilateral trade cooperation, promising that China would transfer many technologies with practical utilities to increase Zimbabwe's capacity building.
Tsvangirai expressed his gratitude for China's long-term help, saying that his country will learn from China's successful experience of national development and step up its trade cooperation with the Asian country.
When meeting with Sheikh Hamad bin Jasim bin Jabir al-Thani, Qatar's prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, Wen recognized the robust growth of bilateral relations between China and Qatar, suggesting the two nations cement their cooperation on energy, finance, infrastructure construction and investment.
On issues concerning Syria, Wen said China had already sent its observers to Syria and made various efforts to encourage a cease fire between the Syrian government and its opposition and the implementation of the six-point proposal made by UN-Arab League joint special envoy Kofi Annan.
The international community should increase its support for the work of Annan and the observation group in Syria in an aim to peacefully resolve the crisis by political approaches, Wen urged.
Hamad said Qatar will forge closer ties with China and foster cooperation in energy and investment.
Qatar values China's position and efforts in Syria and will maintain its coordination with China to promote the implementation of Annan's proposal.
In a meeting with Laos Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong, Wen said Both China and Laos are in a critical stage of reform and national development, noting that two nations should consolidate their good neighborly friendship and safeguard their common interests.
He suggested the two nations expand their cooperation in mining, hydropower, agriculture and transportation.
China appreciates Laos' participation in law enforcement cooperation along the Mekong River and hopes the involved nations can work together to maintain a peaceful and stable environment for their economic growth and standards of living, according to the Chinese premier.
Echoing Wen's views, Thongsing said Laos is a good neighbor, friend comrade and partner with China, expressing hope that two nations can maintain their high-level exchanges, deepen cooperation in trade, transportation, science and technology, as well as humanity.
Laos will also make joint efforts with China to crack down on international drag trafficking and cross-border crimes, Thongsing promised.
Chinese top political advisor, Jia Qinglin, also met with Thongsing on the same day.
Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said China always handle its relations with Laos from a strategic perspective and will contribute more efforts to push the bilateral comprehensive and strategic partnership to a higher level.
The three foreign leaders were in Beijing to attend the opening ceremony of the first Beijing International Fair for Trade in Service.
Wen also met with World Trade Organization Director-General Pascal Lamy on the sidelines of the fair.
Hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and the Beijing municipal government, the fair, akin to China's major commodities fair -- Canton Fair -- is an annual event offering a platform for global service buyers and sellers.
