On November 2, 2006, Chinese President Hu Jintao held talks at the Great Hall of the People with James Alix Michel, President of the Republic of Seychelles, who is paying a state visit to China and is to attend the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. The two leaders expressed satisfaction over the development of bilateral relations and reached important consensus on expanding and deepening pragmatic cooperation between the two countries.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries 30 years ago, the China-Seychelles friendly cooperation has witnessed smooth development, with mutual understanding and trust enhanced and fruitful cooperation and exchanges in various areas, Hu said. Both sides have witnessed a sound momentum in trade growth and maintained consultation and cooperation in international affairs. The China-Seychelles relationship has become a model for equal treatment and mutual assistance between big and small countries, said Hu, expressing appreciation for Seychelles's adherence to the one-China policy and support for China's reunification cause.

The two countries have kept friendly relations and China has been offering unselfish assistance to Seychelles for a long period of time, said Michel, expressing his thankfulness to the Chinese government and people.  Seychelles deems China a sincere friend, and attaches great importance to ties with China, he said. Seychelles values friendship between the two countries, and will continue to pursue the one-China policy and support China's reunification cause, he said.

Hu said to strengthen all-round practical cooperation conforms to the fundamental interest of both countries and their people. Both sides should push for the relations in the following four aspects. First, the two countries should enhance political relations, promote personnel exchanges in various levels, and build up mutual understanding and trust. The leaders of the two countries should keep consultations over issues of common concern through various means, said Hu. Second, the two countries should tap potential in trade and economic cooperation, and China will make joint efforts with Seychelles to enhance cooperation in infrastructure construction, fishery and other fields, he said. The Chinese government will encourage competitive enterprises to invest in Seychelles, in particular in the projects where China has advantages and which are greatly needed by Seychelles. Third, both sides should actively conduct humanities exchanges and expand exchanges and cooperation in education, tourism, human resources development and health, Hu said.  The two countries should further their consultations and cooperation over international affairs, and China will continue to boost the international community to pay more attention to the development issue of Seychelles and other small-island developing countries, he said.

Seychelles is happy to see the great development achievement China has made, and a more developed China can help better safeguard the interests of developing countries, said Michel.  As Seychelles is committed to the economic reform and improvement of people's livelihood, it wishes to learn from China's successful experience. Seychelles hopes to build new-type partnership with China, maintain exchanges at all levels and welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest and participate in the areas of fishery, tourism, aviation and infrastructure construction in the country, he said, expressing confidence that the Beijing Summit will enhance the friendly cooperation between Africa and China so as to help push the international order towards developing in a fair and reasonable direction.

Following the talks, Hu and Michel jointly attended a signing ceremony of documents concerning bilateral cooperation.

Prior to the talks, President Hu hosted a grand welcome ceremony for Michel. Present at the ceremony were Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Ismail Amat, State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Xu Kuangdi, Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of Jiusan Society Shao Hong, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai, Chinese Ambassador to Seychelles Geng Wenbing and other officials.