The Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) held a reception Wednesday to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-Malian diplomatic ties.
CPAFFC President Chen Haosu said on the occasion that bilateral relations have been developing smoothly since the forging of diplomatic ties four decades ago, and there have been frequent exchanges of visits between leaders of the two countries in recent years, and mutual understanding has been deepened.
He said that the two countries share the same views on many international issues, expressing the conviction that bilateral relations based on sincere friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation will continue to grow in the 21st century.
Diakite Balladji, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Malian Embassy in China, said that the two countries established diplomatic relations under the Five-Principles of Peaceful Co-existence 40 years ago, adding that since then, the two sides have had fruitful cooperation in industrial, agricultural, health, educational and other areas, setting a good example for cooperation among developing countries.
He said that the China-Africa Cooperation Forum, which was held in Beijing not long ago, has defined the direction for bilateral cooperation in the years ahead.
(People’s Daily 10/25/2000)
