Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao held talks in Algiers Tuesday with his Algerian counterpart Abdelaziz Bouteflika on bilateral ties, as well as international and regional issues. 

It was the second meeting between the two leaders after the informal South-North leaders dialogue meeting in Evian, France, last June.

The Chinese president said in the talks that China and Algeria have profound traditional friendship. Despite ups and downs in international affairs, the two countries have always understood and supported each other since they forged diplomatic relations 45 years ago.

In recent years, the two countries made remarkable achievements in the political, trade, economic and other fields, Hu said.

The Chinese president noted that China is ready to take the 45th anniversary of Sino-Algerian diplomatic ties as an opportunity to further boost strategic cooperation with Algeria and turn over a new leaf in bilateral ties.

Hu said the Chinese side puts forward a four-point proposal on the development of Sino-Algerian relations.

First, he said leaders of both countries should frequently exchange visits and opinions, and direct the development of bilateral ties from the prospective of strategic cooperation.

Second, both countries should strengthen economic and trade cooperation, and expand the cooperation to cover oil and natural gas exploration, infrastructure construction, communications, agriculture and human resources.

Hu said China supports Chinese companies to be more extensively involved in Algeria's economic construction, hoping Algeria will provide support and convenience in this respect.

Third, cooperation should also be strengthened in health care, culture, science and technology and education, and more exchanges should be encouraged between the legislatures, political parties, non-governmental organizations and youths of the two countries.

Fourth, the two countries are to hold more consultations on major international and regional issues and to jointly promote the democratization of international relations and the South-South cooperation.

The Algerian president said although far apart, the Algerians and Chinese people enjoy mutual affinity and profound friendship. The Algerian government attaches great importance to relations with China and devotes itself to developing strategic cooperation with the country.

Algeria totally agreed with the Chinese proposal for further strengthening bilateral ties. Bouteflika said his country is willing to keep consolidating friendly cooperation in the traditional fields of politics, trade and economy, as well as exploiting new spheres of cooperation in agriculture, communications, finance and resources.

During their talks, the two presidents also exchanged views on Iraq, the Middle East, the African situation and international cooperation on anti-terrorism.

Chinese President Hu said the present international situation is in a great and deep period of change, but peace and development remain the central themes of the modern era. Developing countries are facing the common tasks of promoting democracy in international relations, establishing a fair and reasonable new international political and economic order, maintaining world peace and boosting mutual developments, he said.

The two leaders agreed that China and Algeria have the same or similar views on crucial international and regional issues. They said the two sides should enhance and coordinate cooperation, and make joint efforts to expand South-South cooperation, safeguard the rights and interests of developing countries and promote world peace and development.

After the talks, the two presidents attended the signing ceremony of five agreements on bilateral cooperation.

(Xinhua News Agency February 4, 2004)