A senior Chinese government official said Sunday that China wishes the African Union (AU) a complete success, which is set to be officially inaugurated Tuesday in Durban to replace the 39-year old Organization of African Unity (OAU).
As a special envoy of the Chinese government, Vice Foreign Minister Yang Wenchang made the statement upon his arrival at the airport of the South African coastal city of Durban.
Yang said that the establishment of the African Union is important progress in African countries' efforts to promote Pan-Africanism, strengthen through unity and the process of integration.
"It has also reflected the strong aspiration of the African countries and peoples in the pursuit of peace, development and rejuvenation," he said.
He expressed his belief that the Durban Summit will be a grand meeting of African unity and cooperation and will strongly promote the great cause of African rejuvenation.
Yang paid his visit to South Africa at the invitation of Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad.
He said that the friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries have made continuous progress since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Africa.
At the beginning of the new century, the bilateral relations and cooperation enjoy a momentum of vigorous development, with further expansion of bilateral exchanges and cooperation in various fields and deepening friendship between the two peoples.
Yang held talks with his South African counterpart in Durban in the afternoon. The two sides exchanged views on the bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest.
(People's Daily July 8, 2002)
