On August 7, 2008, Chinese President Hu Jintao met separately with some of the foreign leaders to the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games at the Great Hall of the People.

President Hu extended a warm welcome to all the leaders to the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, and thanked the foreign governments and people for their support to China's preparations for the Games. Hu also wished foreign athletes good performance at the games.

The foreign leaders attending the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games spoke highly of China's effective efforts in hosting the Olympic Games and wished and believed that the games will be a great success.

Hu, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, expressed heartfelt gratitude for the precious support and aid offered by the foreign governments and people after the devastating earthquake that hit China's Sichuan province in May.

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

Meeting with Laotian President Choummaly Saygnasone, Hu said China and Laos are good neighbors, friends, comrades and partners. China is ready to work with Laos to carry forward their traditional friendship and deepen mutually-beneficial cooperation. Hu pointed out that the two countries should combine economic and trade cooperation with the two countries' development plans, combine Laos's strategy of "transforming resources to assets" with China's "going global" strategy and combine Laos's resources and labor forces with China's fund, technology and market, so that  China and Laos can achieve a win-win outcome through tapping economic complementarities.

Hailing the positive progress in bilateral ties, Choummaly said the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries is being implemented and the two countries have supported and coordinated with each other on international and regional issues. The Laotian president thanked China for all the past support and assistance for his country's economic and social development, and expressed the hope that the two sides further strengthen their friendly cooperation.

While meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Hu pointed out that China and Brazil, two major developing countries, share broad common interest and important responsibility in international affairs. The two courtiers have coordinated with each other closely on development, climate change, food and energy security, thus safeguarding common interests of developing countries. To strengthen bilateral cooperation and keep closer coordination in international affairs is a common choice of the two countries to respond to new challenges posed by the new situation and it is also of great significance to enhancing South-South cooperation and improving South-North dialogue. Hu hoped that the two countries will make full use of the current various dialogue and cooperation mechanisms and work out plans for the next-phase cooperation on politics, economy, trade, science, technology and culture so as to enrich bilateral strategic partnership.

"China welcomes Brazil's recent initiatives to promote economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. The Chinese market is open to Brazilian products," Hu added. China supports competent Chinese companies to invest in Brazil and urged both sides to make joint efforts to push for sound and stable development of bilateral economic and trade relations.

The Brazilian president said his country has a clear understanding of the Brazil-China strategic partnership and is committed to deepening its strategic partnership with China. Brazil hopes that the exchanges of high-level visits will help to strongly push forward bilateral ties. Lula said currently bilateral trade scale is expanding, but there is still huge potential yet to be tapped. Brazil looks forward to enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation with China in the economic and trade area.

On the Doha round talks, Lula expressed willingness to strengthen coordination with China to push for resumption of the Doha round negotiations.   Hu emphasized that China has always supported the Doha round talks and will continue to actively participate in and support multilateral trade system. China is ready to enhance cooperation with all parties including Brazil to push for the early resumption of the Doha round negotiations.

Meeting with President of Algeria Abdelaziz Bouteflika,   Hu recalled that the two countries reached important consensus on the development of bilateral strategic cooperative relations at the end of 2006. The past two years have witnessed smooth implementation of the consensus with frequent high-level exchanges, increasing political trust, expanding mutually beneficial cooperation in all areas and enhanced level of pragmatic cooperation. The two countries have also maintained sound cooperation in international affairs and the China-Algeria relations show a positive, good momentum for development, Hu added.     This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Sino-Algerian diplomatic relations, and China is ready to take this opportunity and work with Algeria to enhance friendly exchanges at all levels, deepen bilateral trade and economic cooperation, and boost cooperation on the UN and other international affairs so as to give an all-round push to the strategic cooperation between the two sides, said Hu.

President Bouteflika said the friendly relationship between China and Algeria has a long history and the two countries have supported each other for a long run. Algeria firmly supports China's efforts to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. He said each meeting between the leaders of the two countries has strongly pushed forward bilateral ties, expressing hope that both sides will maintain high-level contacts, strengthen economic and trade relations and keep closer coordination and cooperation in international affairs in a bid to push bilateral ties to a new level.

Meeting with Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Hu said that China highly appreciated the president's firm support for the Beijing Olympics, as the president served as the first torchbearer for the Olympic torch relay in Alma-Ata in April, the first leg of the torch's global journey.  Nazarbayev said he was glad to be a torchbearer to express respect and support for the Chinese people.

China has always attached strategic importance to its relations with Kazakhstan, and has regarded the development of such relations as a diplomatic priority, said the Chinese president. In order to consolidate and deepen China-Kazakhstan strategic partnership, Hu proposed that both sides maintain close high-level exchanges, strengthen friendly contacts between the governments, legislative bodies and political parties and build up political trust. Hu also urged both sides to deepen multilateral coordination, continue to support each other on key issues concerning the two sides' state sovereignty, security and territorial integrity and improve communication and coordination in multilateral frameworks including the United Nations, Shanghai Cooperation Organization and Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA). In particular both sides should consolidate unity and mutual trust among member countries of the SCO and push forward the sound, continued development of the organization. Hu also suggested that both countries expand pragmatic cooperation, well implement cooperation projects in resources and non-resources areas, and expand exchanges and cooperation on humanities, youth and localities.

Nazarbayev said that the consensus reached between the two leaders during their meeting last August is being effectively implemented, and the two countries have witnessed a rapid growth of bilateral trade and smooth progress of cooperation in the energy sector. He hoped that both sides can continuously expand pragmatic cooperation in all areas.  Kazakhstan supports China's position on Taiwan and Tibet, and advocates joint efforts to strike the three forces of terrorism, extremism and separatism, the president stressed. He expressed willingness to enhance security cooperation, hoping that both sides will continue to boost cooperation within the framework of the SCO.

Meeting President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, Hu said that China and Belarus have treated each other with candor and sincerity. The two countries have built up political trust, witnessed smooth functioning of cooperation mechanisms in all areas and kept close coordination in international affairs. The two sides have supported each other on major issues concerning national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Chinese government and people understand and respect the development path chosen and domestic and foreign policies adopted by the people of Belarus according to their national conditions and support Belarus's efforts for national stability and economic growth. "The Chinese side is ready to further deepen the comprehensive friendly cooperation between the two countries on an equal and mutually-beneficial basis," he added.

Lukashenko agreed that the two countries, as "sincere friends", have shown mutual understanding and support for each other and conducted sound coordination and cooperation in many international and regional issues. He expressed the hope that the two sides would further deepen friendly and mutually-beneficial cooperation in all areas.

In his meeting with Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Hu said that in recent years the China-DPRK relations have developed in depth, and the two sides have continuously deepened exchanges and cooperation in all areas and kept sound coordination and cooperation in major international and regional affairs. The two countries will name the next year "Year of China-DPRK Friendship" to mark the 60thanniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties. He expressed hope that both sides will hold activities with unique features and high standards to mark the occasion to fulfill the goal of building understanding, deepening cooperation and consolidating friendship.  "It is a strategic principle unswervingly followed by the Chinese Communist Party and government to continuously consolidate and develop the friendly and cooperative relationship between China and the DPRK," Hu told Kim. China is ready to work with DPRK to push bilateral relations in the new situation for new greater progress.

Kim, who first conveyed DPRK top leader Kim Jong Il's best wishes for the Beijing Olympics, said that the China-DPRK friendship will always be a precious asset for the people of both countries. Next year will mark the 60th anniversary of DPRK-China diplomatic ties, he said, pledging joint efforts with China to well hold the "Year of China-DPRK Friendship" and promote the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

While meeting with Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet, Hu said during General Secretary Nong Duc Manh's recent successful visit to China, both sides exchanged views on consolidating and enhancing the relations between the two parties and countries in a candid, in-depth manner, agreeing to develop China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.      Hu said that the Chinese Communist Party and government want to work with the Vietnamese Communist Party and government to "well steer the development of the relations" on the basis of a "strategic overview", so as to push bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to a new level for the benefit of both peoples.

Echoing Hu's views on bilateral ties, the Vietnamese president responded that Vietnam attaches great importance to the development of friendly relations with China, and is ready to work with the Chinese side to actively implement the important consensus reached between leaders of both countries to lift bilateral ties to one new level after another.

On the South China Sea issue, Hu pointed out that both sides should keep in mind the overall development of bilateral relations and the fundamental interests of the two peoples, work hard to maintain stability in the South China Sea region, actively discuss ways of joint exploration, and push for pragmatic cooperation. The Vietnamese leader expressed the hope that both sides could work together to maintain peace and friendship between the two countries.

 Meeting with President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapakse, Hu said that China-Sri Lanka relations have withstood the tests of time and changeable international situation and enjoy healthy, smooth development. China and Sri Lanka have set a good example for friendly cooperation between the two countries with different national conditions and different social systems. Hu pointed out that to develop China-Sri Lanka good-neighborly friendly relations is in the fundamental interest of both peoples and is also conducive to common development of the two countries. China is ready to work with Sri Lanka to maintain the sound development momentum of bilateral ties and continuously deepen cooperation in all areas in a bid to push the ties to a higher level.

Sri Lanka thanks China for its long-time support and assistance, said Rajapakse, adding that currently some important cooperation projects are under construction. Sri Lanka hopes that the two sides could further enhance cooperation in trade and economic fields as well as in personnel training, said President Rajapakse.

Hu congratulated the Sri Lankan side on successfully holding the 15th Summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), saying that China is ready to conduct equal dialogue and pragmatic cooperation with SAARC based on the spirit of equality, mutual trust and win-win cooperation and play a constructive role in pushing forward the SAARC cooperation process. Rajapakse said SAARC hopes to forge closer ties with China.

In his meeting with Serbian President Boris Tadic, Hu pointed out that it is the common aspiration of the Chinese and Serbian peoples to consolidate and deepen friendly cooperation between the two countries, which will also serve the fundamental interests of both peoples. No matter what changes take place in the Balkan region and the international situation, China's policy of attaching importance to developing ties with Serbia will remain unchanged.  "China would like to strengthen political dialogue and promote pragmatic cooperation with Serbia, and will encourage and support domestic enterprises to invest in Serbia," said Hu. Hu pointed out that China has always respected the development path chosen and internal and external policies adopted by the Serbian people according to their national realities. China appreciates Serbia's good-neighborly and friendly policy and also understands and supports Serbia's efforts to integrate with the rest of Europe, he added.

Pledging that Serbia will always be China's friend, President Tadic told Hu that Serbia hoped to see closer economic and trade ties with China and more mutually-beneficial cooperation in all areas. the two peoples share a profound traditional friendship and the Serbian government and people thank for China's precious support for Serbia's efforts to safeguard national sovereignty.

When meeting with President of the Republic of Montenegro Filip Vujanovic, Hu said the two countries have continuously built up mutual political trust, expanded cooperation on economy and trade, tourism, radio and TV and sports and supported each other in international affairs. China always holds that countries, big or small, poor or rich, are equal members of the international community. China is ready to strengthen political dialogue and advance pragmatic cooperation with Montenegro. "China appreciates Montenegro's active efforts for maintaining stability in the West Balkan region, and hopes that all countries in the region can proceed from the long-term national interests and properly solve problems left over by history through dialogues so as to jointly build a West Balkan featuring long-term stability, prosperity and development," Hu said.

Vujanovic said Montenegro and China share a sincere traditional friendship. China quickly established diplomatic relations with the Republic of Montenegro after it declared independence, for which Vujanovic expressed thanks. He said the China-Montenegro relationship has progressed smoothly with rapidly growing economic and trade cooperation and broad area for cooperation.  President Vujanovic said his country hopes to see more mutually-beneficial cooperation with China and more investment from Chinese businesses.

Meeting with Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos Horta, Hu said that China was the first country to establish diplomatic ties with Timor-Leste upon its independence in May 2002, opening up a new chapter for bilateral ties. Bilateral ties have developed smoothly over the past six years, said Hu, pointing to mutual political respect and trust, expanding exchanges and cooperation in all areas and sound communication and coordination in international and regional affairs.  China hopes to maintain high-level exchanges with Timor-Leste, and welcomes Timor-Leste leaders to visit China. Hu urged both sides to enhance economic and trade ties and expand mutually beneficial cooperation in this area. Both sides should continue to well implement China's aid and training projects in Timor-Leste and advance security, educational and health exchanges. China would like to see more cooperation and coordination between the two sides in United Nations affairs and China will continue actively participating in UN's work in Timor-Leste, said the Chinese president.

Horta said that Timor-Leste appreciates the important assistance from China in such fields as infrastructure construction, health and personnel training, and hopes that the two sides will further strengthen economic and trade cooperation. All the assistance demonstrates the friendly feelings of the Chinese people towards the Timor-Leste people.  The president stressed that Timor-Leste hopes to strengthen economic and trade cooperation with China and supports China's efforts to safeguard state sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In the meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, Hu said the Beijing Olympic Games meets the aspiration of the Chinese people for the past 100 years. "Today, state leaders, personages from all walks of life and athletes from the five continents around the world gather here in Beijing to celebrate the grand opening of the Beijing Olympic Games along with the Chinese people," said Hu, adding that this demonstrates the Olympic spirit of unity, friendship and peace.   "I wish to share the exciting time with you," Hu said. President Hu expressed gratitude for the support from the Japanese government and people in the course of Olympic preparations. He hoped that the two peoples will build mutual understanding and friendship through the Beijing Olympic Games and wished Japanese athletes good performance at the games.

Fukuda extended the Japanese people's congratulations to the Chinese for hosting the grand Olympic Games. "I've just visited main Olympic venues and felt the enthusiasm of Chinese people, "he said. He expressed belief that the Beijing Olympics, which goes beyond national boundaries, will enhance mutual understanding and trust among all peoples in the world.

Hu pointed out that to develop China-Japan strategic reciprocal relations is in the fundamental interests of the two countries and their peoples and is also conducive to peace, stability and prosperity of Asia and the world at large.  "We are willing to go with the Japanese side to extensively implement the common grounds reached by leaders of the two nations and carefully maintain the hard-won good situation of China-Japan relations," said the Chinese president. China is ready to keep high-profile exchanges between the two countries, ensure the success of the second meeting of high-level economic dialogue mechanism, the youth friendly exchange year and other activities in order to push forward the strategic partnership of mutual benefit.

Fukuda recalled that during President Hu Jintao's visit to Japan this May and the meeting between the two leaders in July in Toyako, both sides reached a range of important consensus. He hoped that both sides make joint efforts to well implement the consensus, enhance cooperation on environmental protection and energy, conduct youth and defense exchanges, ensure the success of the second meeting of high-level economic dialogue mechanism and improve communication and coordination in major international and regional issues.

During a meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy,    Hu welcomed Sarkozy's attendance to the Olympic opening both as the French president and the rotating president of the Council of the European Union. Hu said President Sarkozy shows with his practical move his position of supporting the Beijing Olympic Games, which is conducive to building the friendship between the two peoples and is also helpful for the further improvement of bilateral ties. the Chinese president made positive comments on this.

Sarkozy said the Olympic facilities have shown the tremendous efforts of China's preparations for the Games. Sarkozy said he was "pretty happy" to attend the Olympic opening together with Hu. "Today is a proud day for China and is also of great significance to China-France relations," he said.

Hu emphasized that with the international situation being complex and changeable, to maintain and develop sound China-France relations is not only in the fundamental interests of both countries and their peoples and is also conducive to world peace, stability and prosperity. Hu said the Chinese government deeply cherishes Sino-French relations and always looks at and handles bilateral ties from a strategic and long-term perspective, pledging that China will continue adhering to the policy of China-France friendship, comprehensive cooperation and common development. Hu hoped the two sides can continue to make joint efforts to block out interference, further enhance mutual trust, and push forward the Sino-French comprehensive strategic partnership in a healthy and stable way.

China has been one of the important strategic partners of France since the period of General Charles de Gaulle, and France hopes to keep such a relationship with China, Sarkozy said. China has made admirable achievements in politics, economy and other areas.   The French president said he believes China should play a significant role in keeping world peace and stability and many international and regional issues can't be resolved without China.  Sarkozy said to develop strategic partnership with China is the consistent principle of France's foreign policy and such a policy will not change.

Hu pointed out that this year is very significant to China-EU relations.  "We expect and believe France can play a more positive and constructive role in stabilizing and developing Sino-European relations, and hope the two countries can closely cooperate to make the seventh summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting a meeting of cooperation for progress and orientation towards the future to consolidate Asia-Europe partnership, " said Hu. He urged both sides to well hold the 11th China-EU Summit Meeting to enrich the strategic connotations of China-EU relations and deepen pragmatic cooperation in all areas so as to push China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level.

Sarkozy noted that he will attend the seventh summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting which will be held in Beijing this October, and France will make efforts in developing EU-China relations.

Ling Jihua, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee (CPCCC) and Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, Wang Huning, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee (CPCCC) and Director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee, and State Councilor Dai Bingguo attended the above meetings.