China, Nepal to advance bilateral ties
CHINA: China-Nepal ties entered a new phase with the two
nations having decided to establish a comprehensive partnership of
cooperation, said Chinese President Hu Jintao here on Wednesday.
“We will work with Nepal to make concerted efforts for the in-depth
development of our relationship,” Hu said in a meeting with Nepalese
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.
China and its southwestern neighbor Nepal on Tuesday agreed to lift
their bilateral relationship to a higher level by establishing a
comprehensive partnership of cooperation.
The decision came when Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao held talks with
Nepal, who was here on his first official visit to China since he took
office in May.
The newly-established comprehensive partnership of cooperation
signals closer ties between China and Nepal, which have enjoyed a
good-neighborly partnership in the past.
President Hu told Nepal that the two nations should consolidate their
political basis for the bilateral ties, increase high level visits, and
continue supporting each other in major issues.
Hu proposed the two neighbors promote cooperation in the areas of
economy, infrastructure construction, agriculture, human resources,
tourism and border trade, and strengthen people-to-people exchanges.
He also hoped the two sides would enhance coordination in
international and regional affairs and jointly cope with global
challenges such as climate change, energy and food security.
“We should work together to safeguard regional and world peace and
development,” Hu said.
China’s top legislator Wu Bangguo also met with Nepal earlier on
Wednesday.
“The decision to establish a China-Nepal comprehensive partnership of
cooperation is a strategic one,” said Wu, chairman of the Standing
Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC).
According to a joint statement issued Wednesday, the two sides
decided to establish and develop a Comprehensive Partnership of
Cooperation featuring close friendship on the basis of the five
principles of peaceful coexistence.
Wu said this accords with the realistic and long-term need of the
development of China-Nepal ties, and is also a common aspiration of the
two peoples. Beijing, Thursday, Xinhua |
