China, Mauritania pledge closer cooperation

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met in Beijing on Tuesday with visiting Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, calling on joint efforts to enhance capacity cooperation through building steel and cement plants.

China is ready to improve cooperation with Mauritania in animal product processing and exploitation of marine fisheries and upgrade bilateral cooperation, he said.

Li said the ongoing unrest in West Asia and North Africa has caused a severe humanitarian crisis and has drawn the attention of the international community.

The Chinese premier urged parties concerned to handle practical issues while addressing the root of the problem, and to safeguard regional peace and development.

Aziz said improving people's livelihoods is an important guarantee for regional peace and stability.

He expressed his hope to learn from China's experience, and further enhance bilateral cooperation in such areas as electricity, mining, agriculture and renewable energy.

China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang also met with Aziz on Tuesday.

Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), pledged to boost closer cooperation between the NPC and the Mauritanian parliament, and share governance experience.

Aziz is visiting China from Sept. 9-16 at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Aziz also attended the opening ceremony of the China-Arab States Expo held in Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in northwest China, from Sept. 10-13. Endi