Foreign and Military Affairs

China to go on aiding Vanuatu without political strings attached: Wen

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-04-13 00:38

BEIJING - China said on Monday that it would continue to provide aid to Vanuatu without political strings attached for Vanuatu's economic development.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao made the remarks when holding talks with visiting Vanuatu Prime Minister Edward Natapei in Beijing.

Wen said, China would help Vanuatu improve its people's livelihood, strengthen infrastructure construction and promote personnel training, so to enhance the country's self-development capabilities.

China would continue to encourage its enterprises to invest in Vanuatu and support exchanges at local levels and between peoples of the two countries to inject new power for the development of China-Vanuatu relations, Wen said.

The developing countries, in particular the least developed countries, small island states and African countries, have suffered a lot from global issues including financial crisis and climate change, Wen said, calling on the international community to pay highly attention to these countries' difficulties and appeals, fulfill its commitment earnestly, enhance coordination and communication, so as to promote the balanced and sustainable development of the world.

Wen said, "China would continue making its due efforts to achieve these goals."

Vanuatu cherished its friendship with China and would continuously adhere to the one-China policy, Natapei said, noting that it would like to strengthen communication and coordination with China in addressing financial crisis and climate change.

Wen and Natapei also attended the signing ceremony of bilateral agreements on economic and technological cooperation.

China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin also met with Natapei on Monday.

China-Vanuatu relations are facing important opportunities of further development, said Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, adding that China, as always, attached great importance to its friendly and cooperative ties with Vanuatu and was willing to work with Vanuatu to boost bilateral ties.

Natapei is paying a six-day working visit to China at the invitation of Wen. Besides Beijing, he will also visit the cities of Changsha, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.