1. General picture of bilateral relations

 

On February 22, 1964, the People's Republic of China established diplomatic relations with the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) and since then it has seen a favorable development of the friendly relations between the two countries.

 

Leaders and officials who visited China from the Republic of Congo include: President Alphonse Massamba-Debat (September 1964); Andre George Mouyabi, speaker of the National Assembly (August 1966); Prime Minister Ambroise Noumazalay (September 1967); Prime Minister Alfred Raoul (September 1969); President Marien Ngouabi (July 1973); Prime Minister Henri Lopez (February 1975); Prime Minister Louis Sylvain Goma (June 1977); President Jaques Joachim Yhomby-Opango (May 1978); President Pascal Lissouba (May 1994); President Denis Sassou-Nguesso (visiting China four times in July 1980, April 1987, March 2000 and September 2005 respectively); and Koumba Justin, speaker of the National Assembly (January 2000), etc.

 

Chinese leaders and officials who visited the Republic of Congo mainly include: Vice Premier Geng Biao (October 1978); Premier Zhao Ziyang (January 1983); Li Tieying, member of the State Council and director-general of the National Commission for Education (November 1989); Qian Qichen, vice premier and foreign minister (January 1995); Bu He, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (November 1997); Yang Wenchang, vice foreign minister (April 2001); Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan (January 2003); and Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan (February 2005), etc.

 

2. Economy and trade relations and economic and technological cooperation

 

Ever since the establishment of the diplomatic relations China provided the Republic of Congo with some economic aids, undertaking such sets of project as stadium, broadcasting station, assembly building, textile mill, hospital and hydropower station construction. During the civil war of 1997, the projects aided by China suspended for some time. Now they are being gradually restored.

 

Starting from 1982, China began to take up workforce contracts and has achieved better results. The trade between China and the Republic of Congo has witnessed a quicker development in recent years and from 2001, China started to import crude oil directly from the Congo. The year of 2005 saw the trade value of the two countries reach US$2.423 billion, of which the Chinese export took up US$145 million while the import was US$2.278 billion.

 

3. Other exchanges

 

In September 1964, the two governments of China and the Republic of Congo signed an agreement for cultural cooperation. In July 1980 and March 2000 the two sides renewed the cultural agreement twice. In May 2004 they signed the 2003-2005 Implementation Program of the Agreement on the Cultural Cooperation Between China and the Republic of Congo. Starting from 1975, China began to provide the Congo with quotas of scholarship for higher education. And for the moment the students from the Congo who are now studying in China come to 77 in all.

 

From 1966 to 2005, the medical teams China sent to the Congo came to 19 batches. When the civil war broke out in 1997 China withdrew its medical teams, which were resumed in 2000. Now there are 23 medical personnel working in the Congo.

 

4. Important bilateral agreements

 

Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of the Diplomatic Relations Between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville) (February 22, 1964)

 

The government of the People's Republic of China and the government of the Republic of the Congo, in accordance with the interests and wishes of the respective country decided to recognize each other and establish the diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level. The governments of the two countries unanimously agree to develop relations of friendly cooperation on the principles of mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs and equality and mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence.

 

(Chinese Foreign Ministry October 10, 2006)