Chinese Foreign Minister: Egypt, one of China's most important partners

Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan said Egypt is one of the important partners of China in the Arab world and Africa, adding both countries are linked by close friendship.

In an interview with "Al-Ahram" newspaper, he expressed his country's desire to develop relations with Egypt in the various domains in the light of the strategic agreement which was signed during President Mubarak's visit to China last year.

The Chinese foreign minister said his country was willing to play a significant role in establishing a just and durable peace in the Middle East, in solving the Iraqi problem and in developing relations with Arab countries.

He said the Chinese president had sent messages to President Mubarak and to African heads of state to get their agreement on the convening of the conference of African ministers of foreign affairs and economy in the Chinese capital next October for addressing ways of bolstering joint cooperation in the various economic and commercial fields in the light of the international variables and globalization.

The Chinese foreign minister referred to the close friendship between Egypt and China, the exchange of visits among high-level officials from both countries and cooperation at the political, economic, commercial, technological and cultural levels.

Apart from boosting political relations, the Chinese foreign minister said, China is giving wider attention to developing economic and commercial relations. He added trade exchange between Egypt and China exceeded 600 million dollars in 1998.

On globalization and the world order, the Chinese foreign minister said the world should not be subjected to one or more than one state, adding the future world be multi-polar.