Chinese President Hu Jintao(R) shakes hands with Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov during the welcoming ceremony for Rakhmonov in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 15, 2007. (Xinhua Photo/Ma Zhancheng)

China and Tajikistan signed in Beijing Monday a treaty on good neighborly friendship and cooperation, agreeing to push bilateral relations to higher levels.

Chinese President Hu Jintao and Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov signed the treaty after their talks in the Great Hall of the People.

The two presidents highly evaluated the achievements made by the two countries in the past 15 years in the development of their relations.

Rakhmonov arrived in Beijing Monday morning for a seven-day state visit to China as Hu's guest.

During the talks, Hu said the Chinese side will join hands with the Tajik side in advancing bilateral long-term, steady relations of good neighborly friendship and cooperation from the following five aspects.

The first is to keep bilateral high-level exchanges and other contacts at various levels to further their political ties, continue mutual support on principled issues concerning their major interests, and conduct close cooperation in completing the demarkation work on time.

The second is to expand reciprocal cooperation for common development with an improved trade structure, better cooperation in such key areas as communications, power, telecommunications, mineral resources development, agriculture and border trade, and lay a sound legal basis for bilateral trade and investment.

The third is to strengthen security cooperation and jointly prevent and combat cross-border crimes and the "three forces", namely, terrorism, extremism and separatism.

 The fourth is to expand cultural and educational cooperation to enhance mutual understanding and traditional friendship.

The fifth is to strengthen consultations and coordination on major international and regional issues including that within multi-lateral frameworks such as the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Agreeing with Hu, Rakhmonov said the Tajik side is full of confidence in the future development of bilateral relations, and will further improve bilateral political relations, push forward bilateral cooperation in economy, trade, finance, mineral resources and power, and enhance bilateral exchanges in culture and education.

He said the Tajik side will strengthen coordination and cooperation with the Chinese side in international and regional affairs and firmly fulfil its obligations to combat the "three forces".

According to the treaty, Tajikistan reaffirms that there is only one China in the world, that the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole China and Taiwan is an integral part of Chinese territories.

"Tajikistan government supports the efforts taken by the Chinese government to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, opposes any attempt aimed at creating 'two Chinas' or 'one China, one Taiwan', opposes 'Taiwan independence' in any form including 'Taiwan independence in legal principle' and opposes the participation of Taiwan into any international or regional organization joined only by sovereignty countries," said the treaty.

Tajikistan affirms not to establish official relations in any form and have any official contacts with the Taiwan authorities and not to set up 'representative office' with the Taiwan authorities, said the treaty.

The treaty said China supports the policies of Tajikistan in strengthening national independence and sovereignty and territorial integrity and safeguarding stability and developing economy.

The treaty said the two countries are satisfied that the boundary questions left over by history between the two countries have been solved in an all-rounded way, which is of great significance, and the two countries are determined to make the boundary a boundary of peace forever and friendship for generations and generations.

Any party to the treaty will not join any alliance or group that would hurt the other party and not take any action of such kind, including not conclude any treaty of such kind, according to the treaty.

"Once international or regional complicated situation occurs or crisis breaks out, which may threat peace and security interests of any party, both parties will immediately coordinate with each other to make steps in preventing threats," said the treaty.

The two countries agreed to strengthen coordination and cooperation between relevant departments of both countries within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and continue to take strong measures in jointly fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism in any form, including the "East Turkistan" terrorist forces, and organized crimes, illegal migration, illegal trafficking of drugs and weapons and other cross-border crimes, according to the treaty.

The two countries stressed that maintaining peace, stability and lasting development in central Asia is in the common wishes and fundamental interests of peoples of all countries in the region and is of great significance to safeguarding peace in Asia and the world at large, said the treaty.

The treaty said that the two countries will thus strengthen coordination and cooperation within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and make sure that the SCO plays an important role in promoting regional economic and social development.

Five other agreements were also singed during the Tajikistan president's visit here, covering many areas, such as bilateral cooperation of economy and technology, civil aviation transportation and education.

Editor: Donald