On the afternoon of March 20, 2002, President Jiang Zemin held talks with Ecuadorian President Novoa who is in China on a state visit at the Great Hall of the People.

Jiang noted that the friendly relations and cooperation have advanced smoothly since the two countries established diplomatic relationship in 1980. In recent years the high- level contacts between the two sides have never stopped and the mutual understanding is reinforced; trade and economic and technical cooperation between the two countries has grown rapidly ; exchanges in the fields of education and science have further developed; the two sides have maintained good cooperative relations in international affairs. He expressed his satisfaction with the development of the bilateral ties. He said both China and Ecuador are developing countries facing with the common task of safeguarding world peace and promoting common development. It fits in the interests of the two peoples and facilitates the South- South Cooperation for the two sides to strengthen the mutually beneficial cooperation. The Chinese side is ready to work together with Ecuador push forward the friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries.

With regard to the trade and economic relations and the technological cooperation, Jiang noted that through the concerted efforts made by the two governments and the business sectors in both countries, the two-way trade has maintained a steady growth and the two countries have already achieved results in economic cooperation with the cooperation in the advanced technology field initiated. He said the Chinese government places great importance on the development of trade and economic links with Ecuador and holds a positive attitude towards mutually beneficial cooperation. He expressed his hope that both sides will work together to achieve further progress in bilateral cooperation in trade, economics and technical cooperation.

Jiang expressed appreciation for Ecuador's adherence to the One China policy.

Gustavo Novoa Bejarano agreed with President Jiang's remarks about the relations between the two countries. He said that China and Ecuador are friends and the Ecuadorian government is willing to continue strengthening political and economic links with China. Noting that Chinese business people have had considerable investment in Ecuador, Novoa hoped China will increase investments and participate in the construction of harbors and airports in his country.

Novoa reiterated Ecuador's stance of adhering to the One China policy, maintaining the government of the People's Republic of China is the only legal government that can represents China.

Novoa also introduced the situation in the Latin American area.

Concerning the relationship between China and the Latin American area, Jiang said in recent years, political links and economic cooperation between China and the Latin American countries have expanded. He said China and the Latin American countries share the same goals for development which is the basis for cooperation and have a great potential for expanding their cooperation. China is willing to further strengthen cooperation with the Latin American countries and to work together with them to establish long-term, stable and mutually beneficial relations in the new century.

Novoa noted that China is the friend of the Latin American countries and Ecuador is willing to go on promoting the development of the friendly relations of cooperation between Latin American countries and China.

The two sides exchanged opinions on the international issues of common concern and introduced to each other the domestic situation in their own countries.

After the talks, the two sides jointly signed three documents. The documents were an agreement on economic and technological cooperation between the governments of the two countries, an agreement on cooperation between the China international economic and trade arbitration committee and the Ecuadorian-Chinese chamber of commerce and an agreement of cooperation between diplomatic academies in the two countries.

President Jiang and President Novoa attended the signing ceremony.