CHINA’S President Hu Jintao would like to see Cyprus act as a bridge between his country and the EU, President Demetris Christofias said after meeting the Chinese leader in Beijing.
Hu told him Cyprus was “a very credible partner for China” as far as the EU was concerned, and he looked forward “to the Republic of Cyprus acting as a bridge between China and the EU, to help Beijing expand ties with Brussels.”
The Chinese President also expressed China’s long standing support for Cyprus on the political front and had warmly welcomed the Cypriot delegation, Christofias said.
China hoped that upcoming talks to reunite Cyprus would bear fruit, Christofias said. China is a one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.
Christofias also said Hu proposed the two countries work together in all sectors to further promote and strengthen them.
“I have stressed our support for a single China and the reunification of Taiwan with China, a position which the Republic of Cyprus maintains with great consistency”, Christofias said. He also said he had stressed that Tibet was “an integral part of China”.
According to the official statement, Christofias expressed regret for various events which he said aimed at marring China’s credibility and the will of the Chinese people to organise the Olympic Games in an impressive manner. The opening ceremony of the Games was impressive and spectacular, he added.
Today Christofias will visit the Olympic Village where he will meet Cypriot and Greek athletes taking part in the Olympic Games.
The President will tour the site, chat with athletes and witness how around 20,000 people who are being accommodated at the village spend their day.
He will also meet Cyprus Olympic Committee chairman Kikis Lazarides and will have lunch with Cypriot athletes at the Olympic Village restaurant.
Education and Culture Minister Andreas Demetriou, who is accompanying the President on his Beijing trip, will visit the Chinese school, which was partnered with Cyprus as part of the Heart-to-Heart Partnership programme of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Educational Programme.
More than 200 primary and secondary schools in Beijing were partnered with 205 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) of the Olympic family.
On the sidelines of the Games, the Heart-to-Heart partner school in Beijing will greet their partner NOC athletic delegation in the Team Welcome Ceremony at the Olympic Village and support athletes at the competition sessions. Additionally, the corresponding delegation will also be invited to visit the school in Beijing.
The Heart-to-Heart Programme aims to promote Olympic spirit, deepen mutual understandings and strengthen the friendship between the children of China and across the world.
Through the programme, the students of the Chinese school partnered learnt all about Cyprus sports and the Cypriot team participating in the games.
