On August 22, 2008, Chinese President Hu Jintao met at the Great Hall of the People respectively with some foreign leaders, who are here to attend the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games and relevant activities.

Hu warmly welcomed these leaders to watch the Beijing Olympic Games and thanked their governments and people for their support of the games. Hu also congratulated them on the good performances of the athletes from their countries at the games. The Chinese president said the hosting of the Olympic Games for the first time in China, which boasts a fifth of the world's population, represents the world's trust in China and is also China's contribution to the world. The Beijing Olympic Games belongs to the Chinese people and, more importantly, to people across the world.

The foreign leaders warmly congratulated Hu on the successful hosting of the Beijing Olympic Games and spoke highly of the remarkable efforts of the Chinese government and people in hosting the games. They also thanked the Chinese side for its good services offered to athletes and spectators and congratulated on the outstanding achievements of the Chinese athletes.

Hu Jintao exchanged views with the leaders on a wide range of topics including bilateral ties and major international and regional issues of common concern.

While meeting with President of the Commonwealth of Dominica Nicholas Liverpool, Hu said the two countries have maintained sound and stable growth of friendly relations in the past four years since they clinched diplomatic ties. "The two countries have maintained high-level contacts, deepened mutual political trust, carried out fruitful cooperation in diverse fields, and supported each other and enhanced coordination in international and multilateral affairs to safeguard just rights and interests of developing nations," he said.  Hu noted the Commonwealth of Dominica is an important country in the eastern Caribbean and to develop friendly cooperative relations with it conforms to common interest of the two countries and their peoples. China cherishes the friendly relations with the Commonwealth of Dominica, and is ready to work with it to keep expanding exchanges and cooperation in diverse fields and achieve common development and prosperity.

Liverpool said bilateral ties have been developing continuously since the establishment of diplomatic relations, adding that the Commonwealth of Dominica deems China a good friend and thanks for its support and assistance over the years. He vowed to adhere to the one-China policy and hoped the two countries keep expanding all-round cooperation.

When meeting with Icelandic President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, Hu said China and Iceland have enjoyed traditional friendship and maintained friendly cooperation. Such a relationship is a good example of equal treatment and friendly cooperation between countries with different social systems and at different stages of development, he added. With the joint efforts, China-Iceland economic and trade cooperation has achieved sustained, in-depth development with more dynamic cultural and educational exchanges, closer people-to-people friendly contacts and helpful communication and coordination in international affairs. "China is ready to make concerted efforts with Iceland to continuously deepen bilateral relations and practical cooperation in various fields," the Chinese president said.  The China-Iceland free trade negotiations are going on a smooth track, and China hopes that an agreement will be reached at an early date, based on the principle of equality and practicality, Hu said.

Grimsson said Iceland and China have kept expanding cooperation in diverse sectors and have set up a paradigm of successful cooperation between a small country and a big one. He hoped the two sides work together to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in economy and trade, higher education, science and technology, earthquake prediction and monitoring, and utilization of terrestrial heat.  Hailing the sound progress of the Iceland-China free trade negotiations, Grimsson said Iceland is willing to work with China to push forward the process of the negotiations.

While meeting with Australian Governor-General Michael Jeffery, Hu said as two important countries in the Asia-Pacific region, China and Australia are principal partners for cooperation and share extensive and vital common interests. The further development of the two countries' mutual beneficial and friendly cooperation is in line with the common aspiration of the two peoples and is conducive to the world's peace, stability and prosperity, he added.  China is ready to make concerted efforts with Australia to handle and develop bilateral ties with a strategic point of view, always make sure their relations are forged in the right direction, strengthen dialogue and exchanges and build up mutual understanding and trust to elevate such ties to a new high, Hu said.

Echoing Hu's views and proposals on bilateral ties, Jeffery said his country values cementing of cooperation with China and is ready to bolster the practical collaboration with China in diverse sectors including economy and trade, energy, environmental protection, defense, education, culture and personnel exchanges.

During talks, Hu, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, thanked these countries for their support and assistance following the devastating earthquake that hit China's Sichuan province on May 12. The foreign leaders expressed firm belief that the Chinese government and people will surely win an all-round victory in rehabilitation and reconstruction of the quake-hit areas.

Ling Jihua, Wang Huning and Dai Bingguo attended the above meetings.