World Bank President James Wolfensohn has pledged to work for long-term cooperation with Sichuan and other regions in western China.
The bank wanted to build a cooperative partnership with SichuanProvince and maintain its partnership with China, he said at the Third Western China International Exposition, which opened Saturday in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan.
The partnership would not only be with China's current leaders,but would also survive for another 10, 20 or even 100 years, he added.
The World Bank expected China to wipe out poverty, let people of different cultures live together harmoniously, and make the country more strong and prosperous, Wolfensohn said.
Sichuan had made marked progress in economic and social development. Wolfensohn said he was deeply expressed with the efforts of the Chinese government, especially the Sichuan provincial government, in promoting the development of areas inhabited by minority nationalities.
The World Bank will offer aid to Sichuan for the development ofagriculture, education, public health, infrastructure, the privatesector and high-tech industries. It is negotiating with Sichuan over cooperation in the fields of agriculture and education.
Up to 2001, China had used 34.1 billion US dollars in loans provided by the World Bank to support the construction of 234 projects.
(Xinhua News Agency May 26, 2002)
