FM: Chinese president's Asian tour of strategic significance for regional peace, stability

ASHGABAT-- Chinese President Hu Jintao left the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat for home on Friday, concluding his three-nation trip that had earlier taken him to South Korea and Tajikistan.

Chinese President Hu Jintao's three-nation tour to Central Asia has strategic significance for regional peace and stability, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said Friday.

The president has engaged in extensive exchange of views with the leaders of Turkmenistan, South Korea, Tajikistan and Russia on bilateral ties and major international and regional issues of common concern, reaching broad consensus, said Yang, who is accompanying Hu during the tour.

TO DEEPEN COOPERATION, STRENGTHEN TIES

After China's establishment of diplomatic ties with South Korea, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan 16 years ago, its ties with the three countries have enjoyed rapid development, and the fields of bilateral cooperation have witnessed continuous expansion.

During President Hu's visit, China issued a joint communique with South Korea and released joint statements with Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Over 30 bilateral cooperative documents have been inked between China and the three nations.

In Seoul, Hu said China's ties with South Korea should aim at achieving common development of long term, and the two countries should share development opportunities, face challenges together, deepen comprehensive cooperation and enhance coordination and cooperation in dealing with major international and regional issues.

During his visit to Tajikistan, Hu said it's China's set policy to further develop the Chinese-Tajik relations of lasting friendship, equality and trust, mutual benefit and win-win outcome.

In the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov called China as one of its main and reliable partners.

Both sides agreed to strengthen exchanges at various levels, deepen coordination and dialogue, promote cooperation in infrastructure and energy.

South Korea, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan all reiterated their adherence to the one-China policy on the Taiwan and Tibet issues, and their support to China's efforts to safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity.

TO PROMOTE SCO DEVELOPMENT

After years of development, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has become an important organization to safeguard peace and stability in Central Asia, push forward economic growth and strengthen cultural exchanges, Yang noted.

In a keynote speech at the SCO summit Thursday in Dushanbe, President Hu presented an in-depth analysis of the regional security situation and the threats and challenges confronting the SCO member states.

Appealing to member states to further relations and implement the Treaty on Long-term Good-neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, Hu called on all sides to consolidate political mutual trust, enhance cooperation in security, economy and culture, and work together to build up regional harmony, Yang said.

The Dushanbe summit of the SCO culminated with the signing of several important documents such as the SCO Dialogue Partnership Protocol and a joint declaration, the Chinese foreign minister said.

On the sidelines of the summit, President Hu held meetings with his Russian and Kyrgyz counterparts and exchanged views on bilateral ties and international and regional issues of common concern, cementing bilateral understanding and trust, and furthering mutually beneficial cooperation, Yang said.

Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) meets with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan, August 27, 2008. The Chinese and Russian presidents are in Dushanbe for Thursday's Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. [Xinhua]

TO CLARIFY DEVELOPMENT PATH

Throughout his tour and at the SCO summit, President Hu elaborated on China's domestic and foreign policies, emphasizing that his country's achievements in the past 30 years had sprung from its reform and opening-up policy and that its future development will also rely on the same.

The Chinese people will unswervingly continue the reform and opening-up, strive for a moderately well-off society and accelerate modernization, said Hu.

China will persistently follow the path of peaceful development and a reciprocal win-win strategy in its opening-up policy, he reiterated.

Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) and Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov shake hands after signing a joint statement in Ashgabat, capital of Turkmenistan, August 29, 2008. [Xinhua]

Hu noted that China seeks peaceful, open and cooperative development, and endeavors to construct a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity.

President Hu's three-nation tour lived up to initial expectations and was deemed as a successful visit of sticking to good-neighborliness, deepening solidarity and mutual trust and seeking mutual benefit and win-win outcome, Yang said.

Hu's tour will have a significant and far-reaching influence on upgrading China's relations with the three countries, promoting a long-term, healthy and stable development of the SCO and building up regional and international harmony, Yang concluded.