Albanian president, Chinese vice premier pledge to strengthen bilateral ties

Albanian President Bamir Topi on Friday met with visiting Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang, with both sides vowing to enhance traditional relations between the two countries.


Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang (L)and his Albanian counterpart Ilir Meta attend a press conference in Tirana, capital of Albania, Oct. 29, 2009. Zhang arrived in Tirana on Thursday for a three-day visit. (Xinhua/Yang Ke)
Topi said the friendship between Albania and China was a treasure created by the peoples of the two countries and a solid foundation for further development of bilateral relations.

He said Albania admired the great development that China had achieved since its opening to the outside world, and that Albania appreciated the active role that China had played in international affairs.

Topi stressed that Albania would abide by the one-China policy, and that Albania hoped to enhance the cooperation between the two countries in all fields, to further push forward traditional friendly cooperation.

Zhang, for his part, said the relationship between China and Albania had its ups and downs since it was established 60 years ago, yet the friendship between the two peoples had been ever-lasting.

The history of the bilateral relations showed that the strengthening of friendly bilateral cooperation benefited both countries and met the common aspirations of the two peoples, he explained.

Zhang reiterated that China respected the development models and the domestic and foreign policy that Albania had adopted based on its own needs and national conditions.

He said China appreciated Albania's stand on the one-China policy and cherished the traditional friendship with Albania.


Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang (2nd R, rear) is present at the signing ceremony of cooperative agreements between China and Albania with his Albanian counterpart Ilir Meta (1st R, rear) in Tirana, capital of Albania, Oct. 29, 2009. Zhang arrived in Tirana on Thursday for a three-day visit. (Xinhua/Yang Ke)
Zhang expressed the willingness to enhance mutual political trust between the two countries, promote cooperation in all fields and push the traditional friendly relations to a new level.

In a separate meeting with Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berishaon Friday, Zhang said the two countries were facing new opportunities for further development.

The two sides should focus on trade and economic cooperation, actively promote cooperation in such fields as tourism and agriculture, and enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges, he said.

Berisha observed that the potential of Albania-China relations was huge, and that Albania was ready to maintain high-level exchanges, deepen economic and trade cooperation and facilitate Chinese investment in Albania.

Berisha believed that the bilateral relations would further prosper in the new era.

Zhang arrived in Albania on Thursday for a three-day visit. Albania is the second leg of his three-nation tour, which has also brought him to Ukraine. He will later travel to Estonia.

Source: Xinhua