On February 13, 2009, visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao met in Bamako with President of the Malian National Assembly Dioncounda Traore.

Hu said his choice of Mali as the first leg of his four-nation African tour displayed China's emphasis on developing relations with Mali. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 49 years ago, the peoples of China and Mali have built profound friendship in their respective cause of safeguarding state sovereignty and developing the country. In recent years, bilateral cooperation continued to be rejuvenated, with political mutual trust strengthened, economic and trade cooperation yielding good results, cooperation on education, health and tourism advancing smoothly, and mutual support and coordination on international affairs increasing, he said.

Hu said the aim of his visit is to work together with Mali to review the past and look into the future, to promote bilateral ties. China will take the 50th anniversary of China-Mali diplomatic relations next year as the starting point to consolidate their traditional friendship and expand pragmatic cooperation in order to boost bilateral ties to a new high and carry forward the friendship between the two countries from generation to generation.

Hu said China's National People's Congress (NPC) and the Malian National Assembly have maintained close ties and good cooperation for a long time and have set up bilateral friendship groups, which play a positive role in promoting exchanges between the NPC and Malian National Assembly and deepening friendship between the two countries. He expressed the hope that the NPC and Malian National Assembly would continue to maintain friendly exchanges and reinforce exchanges and consultation on democratic and legal construction to push forward the all-round and in-depth development of their relations.

Traore said China is a great friend of Mali. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, Mali and China have developed relations in the spirit of solidarity, friendship and mutual respect. He thanked China for its people's unswerving friendship with Malian people, and its political support and economic aid. Traore said the Malian people are very much pleased with bilateral cooperation of high quality and great variety. Currently bilateral cooperation on economy, trade, education, health, culture and human resources has developed smoothly, which is a typical example of solidarity and friendship. Mali will firmly adhere to the one-China policy and hopes to reinforce exchanges between the National Assembly and the NPC, an important part of bilateral relations, Traore said. The Malian National Assembly hopes to promote exchanges between legislative bodies and peoples of the two countries, he added.

Ling Jihua, Wang Huning and Dai Bingguo attended the meeting.