China will strive to lift friendly cooperation with Sierra Leone to new heights, Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong said in Beijing Monday.

 

Zeng praised the cooperation between China and Sierra Leone as "the model of cooperation between large and small countries," in a meeting with Solomon Berewa, vice president of Sierra Leone, in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Monday afternoon.

 

Zeng expressed appreciation of Sierra Leone for its consistently adhering to the one-China policy and firmly supporting China's reunification.

 

People of China and Sierra Leone share a long-standing friendship. The two countries respect and trust each other and treat each other equally in the 35 years since the two countries forged official links, Zeng said, adding, bilateral relations have withstood the test in both international and domestic changes.

 

In order to continuously advance the bilateral friendly relationship, Zeng put forward several suggestions.

 

First, he said the two countries should maintain various forms of close contact, including high-level exchanges. Both sides should also expand exchanges and cooperation between various governmental departments, parliaments and political parties. These moves are aimed at enhancing mutual understanding and trust and consolidate the political basis of bilateral friendship.

 

Secondly, the two countries should further explore the complementarity of their specific advantages, expand trade and economic cooperation and seek common development.

 

Thirdly, the two countries should advance consultation and cooperation on regional and international affairs.

 

Fourthly, Zeng said the two countries should push forward cooperation in such fields as human resources development.

 

In reply, Berewa said Sierra Leone attaches great importance to its relations with China, hoping that the "brother-like relationship" with China would strengthen from time to time.

 

The two countries share a lot of common interests in the multilateral arena and have maintained close coordination and cooperation, he said.

 

Berewa thanked China for working for peace and stability of Sierra Leone within the framework of the United Nations, saying the government of Sierra Leone will continue to firmly support the Chinese government's stance on the issue of Taiwan. He expressed the wish that China will realize reunification of the country at an early date.

 

After the talks, Zeng and Berewa attended the signing ceremony of an agreement on economic and technological cooperation between the governments of the two countries.

 

Berewa arrived in Beijing Sunday afternoon for a five-day official visit to China. This is the first visit he paid to China since becoming Vice President in 2002.

 

(Xinhua News Agency April 25, 2006)