Chinese Vice-Premier Hui Liangyu met separately on Thursday with
Uganda President Yoweri Museveni, Madagascar Deputy Prime Minister
Zaza Manitranja Ramandimbiarison, Asian Development Bank (ADB)
President Chino Tadao, and Mark Malloch Brown, administrator of the
United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
Extending his warm welcome to Museveni, Hui said China and
Uganda had a long-term traditional friendship, and a common task to
develop national economy and improve people's lives. The Chinese
side is ready to join hands with Uganda to further reinforce the
friendship and enhance economic cooperation.
Museveni said Uganda is satisfied with the growth of bilateral
ties, hoping the companies of the two sides could enhance
cooperation.
When meeting with the Madagascar guest, Hui, acknowledging the
wide-ranging consensus reached by both sides during the Madagascar
president's China visit not long before, said that the Chinese
government encouraged local companies to invest in Madagascar. He
also voiced his belief the Sino-Madagascar relations will achieve
new progress with joint efforts.
Ramandimbiarison said China has made contributions to the world
with its own economic and social progress. The Madagascar
government attaches much importance to bilateral ties and
appreciated the Chinese side's support for its economic development
and anti-poverty campaign.
In his talks with Chino Tadao, Hui said the ADB has played a
positive role in providing loans and technical support to China's
economy, especially in terms of infrastructure construction. The
Chinese government thought highly of ADB's valuable advices, and is
ready to further cooperation with the ADB.
Chino Tadao also expressed appreciation for the Chinese
government's donation to the "Asian Development Fund", and its
resolve in setting up a "China Special Fund for Poverty Reduction
and Regional Cooperation" with the ADB.
Recalling the wide-ranging and highly effective cooperation with
the UNDP since 1979, Hui said the UNDP has contributed positively
to China's reform and opening-up. He also expressed his hope that
the UNDP could play a bigger role in collecting advanced experience
and expanding international cooperation and information
exchange.
Brown said China has make remarkable achievements in poverty
reduction, and the UNDP will continue its cooperation with China to
push forward poverty reduction work.
Hui and Brown also attended the signing ceremony of the
memorandum for the project of the International Center for Poverty
Reduction in China.
(Xinhua News Agency May 27, 2004)