Delegation of Gabon-China Friendship Association Visits China

A delegation of Gabon-China Friendship Association (GCFA) with Ms. Pierrette Djouassa, procurator-general of Gabon and second vice president of the GCFA, as its leader visited Beijing, Sichuan and Guizhou from September 24 to October 2, 2005 at the invitation of the CPAFFC. Jia Chunwang, procurator-general of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, Zhang Xuezhong, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Sichuan Provincial People’s Congress, Wang Zhengfu, deputy governor of Guizhou Province and Wang Yunze, vice president of the CPAFFC, met with the delegation and hosted banquets in its honour. The delegation visited the Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, the Dujiangyan Water Conservancy Project, the Sixth China Flower and Plant Expo held in Chengdu, and ecological villages for tourists and Huangguoshu Waterfall in Guizhou. The delegation conducted exchanges with relevant leading members of the procuratorates of Sichuan and Guizhou.

Pierrette Djouassa, leader of the delegation, has visited China several times. She said, Gabon attaches great importance to friendship with China. Despite the great distance between our two countries, the fraternal relationship of friendship and cooperation between the two countries has seen continuous development since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1974. Gabonese President Omar Bongo has visited China 9 times and maintained close relations with the successive Chinese leaders. The friendly and cooperative relations between Gabon and China forged by the older generation of leaders of the two countries should be carried on generation after generation. Having visited China in her capacity as procurator-general of Gabon, Djouassa has established friendly and cooperative relations with China’s Supreme Procuratorate and become the honorary professor of China’s National Institute of Procurators.

It was the first time for Djouassa to visit China as the second vice president of the GCFA and head of the GCFA delegation during the 56th National Day of the People’s Republic of China. She said, happiness and joy filled the air everywhere in China. The changes brought about in the country day after day left a deep impression on her. She sincerely wished China prosperity and its people living and working in peace and contentment. She made positive appraisal of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum in promoting the exchanges and cooperation between China and Gabon, saying that the leaders of Gabon would take an active part in the China-Africa summit meeting.

The GCFA, only one year old, sent its first delegation to China at the invitation of the CPAFFC. The leadership of the Association consists of the Honorary Executive Bureau and the Executive Bureau. Georges Rawiri, Senate president is the president of the Honorary Executive Bureau, Paul Toungui, minister of state for economy, finance, budget and privatization, its vice president, and all the former foreign ministers are its members. The 18-member Executive Bureau includes President of the Bureau Jean Ping who is minister of state for foreign affairs, cooperation and Francophonie affairs, First Vice President Rene Ndmezo Obiang, minister in charge of relations with Parliament and government spokesperson, Second Vice President Pierrette Djouassa, procurator-general and Third Vice President Martin Mabala, minister to the Prime Minister for state controls, inspections and fight against poverty and corruption. The founding of the Association received the care from the Gabonese President Omar Bongo. He appointed Jean Ping, minister of state for foreign affairs who has Chinese blood, president of the Executive Bureau. This indicates that Gabon places great hope on the future development of the Association. Members of the delegation said that they would learn from the CPAFFC its experience in carrying out exchanges with other countries. They expressed the belief that China, a country withgreat prospects, would become a big power in the world.