Peru, China to establish
partnership of cooperation
Peru and China
agreed Wednesday to establish a
partnership of all-around
cooperation during talks between
visiting Chinese Vice President
Zeng Qinghong and his Peruvian
counterpart David Waisman.
In their talks, the two leaders
expressed their satisfaction
over the development of
bilateral ties. They also
reached consensus on the ways to
promote China-Peru ties:
-- establish a partnership of
all-around cooperation;
-- maintain high-level contacts
and exchange views frequently on
bilateral issues and other
issues of common concern;
-- promote bilateral economic
and trade ties in a sustainable,
balanced and healthy way;
-- explore more ways of
cooperation in mutual
investment, technology transfer,
personnel training,
infrastructure, energy
resources, agriculture, minerals
and tourism;
-- enhance educational and
cultural exchanges in a bid to
increase mutual understanding of
the two peoples;
-- promote dialogue and
communication on international
affairs so as to make positive
contributions to safeguarding
world peace and the rights of
developing nations.
Zeng said bilateral ties have
made headway since the
establishment of diplomatic
relations 33 years ago. The two
countries now have more contacts
and political trust, better
cooperation in economics and
trade, culture and science and
technology. They have also been
supportive to each other in
international affairs, said Zeng.
He pledged that China will join
hands with Peru to expand
cooperation.
Waisman, for his part, said the
current Peru-China relations
have entered into a new phase of
development and are based on
friendship and mutual respect.
The Peruvian government is
working hard to advance its
domestic economic construction
and social development, and is
willing to cooperate with China
in an extensive way, he said.
He reiterated Peru's firm
adherence to the one-China
policy.
Zeng arrived in Lima earlier
Wednesday from Mexico for an
official visit, the second leg
of his five-nation tour to Latin
America and the Caribbean. He
will also visit Venezuela,
Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica.
Zeng is also scheduled to attend
the opening of the first
ministerial meeting of the
China-Caribbean Economy and
Trade Cooperation Forum next
week in Jamaica.
5th World Social Forum opens in
Brazil
The 5th World
Social Forum (WSF) with the
theme of anti-globalization was
kicked off with a special
demonstration participated by
some 200,000 people Wednesday
evening in the southern
Brazilian city of Port Alegre.
The demonstrators took to the
streets and started the event
just a few hours after the
opening of the World Economic
Forum in the Swiss mountain
resort of Davos.
About 78,000 representatives
from 120 countries and 6,000
journalists had enrolled to take
part in the forum by Wednesday
afternoon, organizers said.
About 2,000 workshops will
highlight 11 topics such as the
communication of
anti-globalization practices and
the defense of diversity and
sovereign economies against
neoliberalism, they said.
The forum will also call for aid
to developing countries, debt
relief for poor nations and
efforts against war apart from
emphasis on environmental
protection and sustained
development.
The WSF was initiated by
non-governmental activists who
oppose the trend of economic
globalization. The annual forum
is designed to counter the Davos
summit of political, financial
and business heavyweights. The
two meetings are held almost
simultaneously every year.
Under the guidance of a forum
organizers' committee, the WSF
is more open to different voices
as compared with its
counterpart. Any individuals or
groups with any viewpoints and
from any social sectors can
express themselves and freely
discuss issues on globalization
at the forum.
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Guerrilla attack on prison
leaves 6 dead in Colombia
Six prisoners
died and four others were
injured when guerrillas launched
a rescue operation in a prison
in western Colombia on Tuesday
night, Interior and Justice
Minister Sabas Pretelt said
Wednesday.
Rebels of the Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)
blew up a wall of the heavily
guarded prison in Ibague,
setting free about 30 prisoners,
Pretelt told the press.
Troops joined police to track
down the escapees, killing one
and recapturing two others. More
than 20 prisoners were still at
large, most of them FARC rebels,
said Pretelt.
Preliminary investigation showed
that the group of rebels were
trying to rescue their commander
John Jario, who was arrested in
November, and their
comrades-in-arms, Pretelt said.
But he did not say whether Jario
had escaped.
The 17,000-strong FARC, the
largest and oldest rebel group
in the country, has been
fighting the government for four
decades and is controlling 40
percent of Colombia's rural
areas.
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