Premier Zhu Rongji On the noon of January 24th, 2002, Premier Zhu Rongji of the State Council met with the visiting Egyptian President Mubarak at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. Zhu extended a warm welcome to Mubarak for his revisit to China.

Zhu said that Mubarak, as an old friend to Chinese leaders of three generations, has made great contributions to the friendship between China and Egypt and other Arab countries. During this visit Mr. Mubarak has held fruitful talks with President Jiang on how to further strengthen the strategic cooperation relations between the two countries. He believed that through concerted efforts of the two sides, the strategic relations of cooperation that have already been established will enjoy further development, and such relations will be enriched and substantiated.

Zhu said that Egypt has made gratifying achievements in the course of defending its sovereignty and independence and making the country powerful, the people rich. As a big power in Arab and Africa, Egypt has played an active role in the maintenance of the peace and stability in Middle East and the world at large, in promoting solidarity between the Arab world and the African countries, and in the promotion of common prosperity of developing countries. China thinks highly of the independent foreign policies of non-alliance Egypt has pursued and supports Egypt in playing a more active role in the Middle East and in the international affairs.

Zhu said that China and Egypt have always understood and supported each other in spite of international viscidities. As developing countries, both countries are faced with the tasks of safeguarding national independence, developing national economy, raising people's living standards and increasing the comprehensive national strength. The two countries can learn from each other, especially in economic reform. We have observed with pleasure that the economic cooperation and trade between the two countries have developed rapidly in recent years. There is still much to explore in the fields of tourism, investment, etc. We are ready to make joint efforts with the Egyptian side, tapping the potentials and exploring new ways and approaches of cooperation that match the national conditions of both countries, in order to deepen the economic and trade cooperation between two countries and achieve more substantial results.

Mubarak thanked Zhu for his receiving. He said that he has seen Premier Zhu for three times in only a couple of years. This is ample evidence that Egypt and China enjoy good relations and deep friendship. Sharing many common points, both the countries are ancient civilizations with a long history. This gives rise to the cooperation between the two countries to seek common development. He believed that the Egyptian- Chinese Business Council to be founded today will definitely prompt the mutually beneficial cooperation in the fields of investment and commerce and push ahead the friendly cooperation between the two countries.

Mubarak invited Zhu to visit Egypt again. Zhu expressed his thanks and accepted the invitation with pleasure.