Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, who is in Tajikistan for a visit, met with Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov in Dushanbe, Sept. 16, 2006.

Wen, on behalf of the Chinese people, first congratulated on the 15th anniversary of Tajikistan's independence, and wished Tajikistan harmony, peace and greater achievements on its path to national development. Rakhmonov expressed thanks for the Chinese people's friendly feelings.

Wen said since the establishment of diplomatic ties 14 years ago, bilateral relations have witnessed rapid development and the two countries have contributed to this region's peace and stability. He said China is committed to developing good-neighborly friendship and cooperation of long-term stability with Tajikistan and supports its efforts in safeguarding state sovereignty, security and stability. China is willing to negotiate and sign a good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation treaty with Tajikistan as soon as possible, which will affirm in legal form the principles in the process of establishing a broader and deeper relationship, he added.

Rakhmonov said bilateral relations in the areas of politics, economy and humanities have been developing vigorously with an increasing of political trust. He said the two sides commit themselves to security and stability of this region and have scored important achievements in joint efforts to combat the "three forces". China's assistance to Tajikistan plays an important role in the Tajik economic and social development and will be written into Tajikistan's development history, he said. He expressed the hope that Tajikistan and China could strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in a wide array of sectors, including trade, investment, energy, telecommunications and tourism.

Rakhmonov said his country firmly supports China's position on the Taiwan question, opposes "Taiwan independence" in any form and supports China's grand cause of reunification, for which Wen expressed appreciation.

On combating the "three forces", Wen said China speaks highly of the achievements of bilateral cooperation in law enforcement and security and is willing to strengthen cooperation with Tajikistan in cracking down on terrorism, separatism and extremism, hoping that the two countries could be well-prepared for a joint anti-terror exercise along their border, which is planned for late September. On crackdown on drug trafficking, Wen said China is supportive of a greater role played by Tajikistan, which leads the anti-drug operation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Wen said China is ready to conduct information exchange and joint operations against transnational drug-related crimes with Tajikistan and to keep closer drug control cooperation with it within bilateral and the SCO frameworks. Rakhmonov said better cooperation on security and drug control is in the interest of both countries and Tajikistan will intensify joint efforts with China.