Foreign and Military Affairs

Sino-Malian relations based on mutual respect

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-05-21 17:18

BAMAKO - Chinese Ambassador to Mali Zhang Guoqing has said that China helps Mali while respecting the principle of noninterference in its internal affairs and the bilateral relationship is based on mutual respect.

In an interview that was published in a Malian private daily newspaper, Le Republicain, on Thursday, Ambassador Zhang reaffirmed that the ties between China and Mali are based on friendly consultations, win-win cooperation and focuses on development.

"China has gained strong support from the people and government of Mali in the fight to safeguard her independence, national sovereignty and territorial integrity especially in issues concerning Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang which are inalienable parts of China," the ambassador stressed.

Insisting that his country is still a developing country, the ambassador said that China "needs to work harder for the next 50 years or even a hundred years to be able to build a modern state."

"We have a heavy task before us. We still need to learn the development experiences of other countries in order to find the right development path for the current times and the future. We hope that the Malian people and government will, just like in the past, give their precious support to China so that we can both achieve development," the ambassador pointed out.

Zhang also said that the Shanghai World Expo, whose opening ceremony was attended by the Malian president Amadou Toumani Toure, for the Chinese people, is a big opportunity for the world to come to China, and this is summarized in the slogan "An opportunity for China, a celebration for the world."

"After several decades, China was accepted and treated as other members of the international community by being allowed to organize Olympic Games and World Expo on her own soil just like other countries. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Chinese people and her friends, she finally managed to achieve these goals in 2008 and 2010 respectively."

The ambassador said by organizing the Shanghai World Expo, China wants the whole world to get a better understanding of the country's history which dates back to 5,000 years and which has developed and rapidly changed due to reforms as well as openness.