Welcoming H.E. Jiang Zemin, President of the People's Republic of China

"The seeds of friendship which were sowed by the independent Leaders of Africa and of China, have borne fruit as evidenced by the broad range of cooperation which has been possible over the years. That cooperation was initiated during the tender years of our independence and when the People's Republic of China was undergoing fundamental change in its society and struggling to emerge from excruciating poverty which the centuries of external control and the attendant internal political strife had imposed upon its people." - Dr. Salim, May 13, 1996