President Hu meets Brown on Olympics, bilateral ties

Chinese President Hu Jintao shakes hands with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown during their meeting in Beijing, China, Aug. 22, 2008. Brown arrived in Beijing on Friday morning to watch the Games and attend the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games.
Chinese President Hu Jintao met with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown here on Friday to exchange views of the Beijing Olympic Games and explore room for further cooperation in Games-related issues and other fields.

Hu extended a warm welcome to Brown, who arrived in Beijing on Friday morning to watch the Games and attend the closing ceremony scheduled for Sunday night, and expressed thanks for the support the British government and people have rendered for the Beijing Games.

The Chinese president also congratulated Brown on the British athletes' outstanding performances at the Games.

The hosting of the Summer Olympics has offered a good opportunity to deepen the cooperation between Beijing and London, Hu said. "China is ready to share its own experience in this regard with Britain, and we wish the London Games in 2012 a success."

Brown congratulated Hu on the "spectacular success" of the Beijing Olympiad. "With the whole world watching, the Beijing Olympic Games have captured the imagination of the whole global community," he said, also speaking highly of Chinese athletes' outstanding performances.

Beijing has "set a new standard" that London will "seek to follow", said Brown. Britain is willing to refer to China's successful experience in hosting the Games as well as in sports where China enjoys advantage, in an effort to host a high-level sports rally in London in 2012.

Sino-British relations have maintained a good momentum of development and deserve to be cherished by both sides, Hu said. "It is hoped the two countries work together to intensify reciprocal cooperation and promote the sound and stable development of their all-round strategic partnership."

The president suggested that two countries maintain close communication and coordination on major international issues through multilateral and bilateral channels and push for the proper settlements of focal issues.

In addition, China and Britain should intensify their cooperation to moving ahead the reopening of Doha round of World Trade Organization talks, and promote the steady development of the world economy, said Hu.

The Chinese president also called for new areas and new means of cooperation to cope with climate change, bolster energy security, and better protect the Earth, a common home for all the world's people.

Brown said Britain hopes to enhance cooperation with China to boost science and technology, tackle climate change, utilize nuclear energy and renewable energies, help African countries accomplish the United Nations' millennium goals, push forward world trade talks, build an open and stable global trade system, and forge ahead the reform of international mechanism.

During the meeting Hu thanked Brown for his gesture of support for the Beijing Games by greeting the Beijing Olympic flame at his residence at No. 10 Downing Street when it was relayed to London in April.

Hu also voiced gratitude for Britain's valuable assistance and support to China after an 8.0-magnitude earthquake devastated Wenchuan County in the southwestern Sichuan Province on May 12.

Source: Xinhua