FM: Chinese president's five-nation tour fruitful(1)

BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- President Hu Jintao's five-nation "journey of friendship and cooperation" was very successful, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said on Wednesday.The tour, which started on Feb. 10 and ended on Feb. 17, took President Hu to Saudi Arabia, Mali, Senegal, Tanzania and Mauritius.

Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao addresses a welcoming rally attended by people from various sectors in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Feb. 16, 2009. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)Hu's visit to the five countries in the first month of the Chinese lunar new year was very successful as it fulfilled its goals -- consolidating friendship between China and these countries, boosting cooperation and reinforcing their will to tackle the joint challenges for common development, Yang said.It was also of important significance to further advance the friendly ties between China and Saudi Arabia as well as between China and Africa and to enhance China's solidarity and cooperation with developing countries to stand hand-in-hand in the face of challenges, he said.The visit, a significant diplomatic move taken by China to boost its ties with developing nations, was made at a time when international political and economic situations are undergoing profound change, and while the international financial crisis continues to spread, imposing a negative influence on developing countries, Yang said.

Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) meets with Mauritian President Anerood Jugnauth in Port Louis, Mauritius, Feb. 17, 2009. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)During the eight days, the Chinese president attended more than 50 events in the nations visited. He held talks with leaders in these countries on cooperation and joint development, as well as had extensive contacts with people from various sectors with brotherly interactions and friendship, Yang said.He said the media in these countries and in the rest of the world paid close attention to Hu's tour and gave it abundant coverage with a positive and objective tone.Noting that the tour consolidated and deepened the friendly cooperation between China and countries in Africa and Asia, Yang said it also boosted the friendship between the Chinese people and their counterparts in developing countries. The achievements included:First, a new consensus was reached on jointly dealing with the challenge of the international financial crisis.President Hu made the visit at a time when the impacts of the international financial crisis are gradually expanding, Yang said, adding that such impacts have spread from developed countries to emerging markets and developing nations, and affecting the real economy, posing increasing challenges to developing nations including China, Saudi Arabia and those in Africa.
Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) talks with Saudi Arabian King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz during their meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 10, 2009. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)Hu expounded on China's view and position on how to tackle the crisis, stressing the need for the international community to be concerned about and try to minimize the suffering of the developing world, especially the least developed countries in the crisis, and expressed China's will to strengthen cooperation and coordinate actions with the international community, Yang said.