China says united with Uzbekistan against terror
Thu May 26, 2005 06:16 AM ET
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Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) and Uzbek President Islam Karimov walk past the honor guard during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in China's capital Beijing May 25, 2005. China said on May 26 it was united with Uzbekistan in the fight against terrorism, weeks after clashes between Uzbek troops and protesters in the east of the Central Asian country. China, worried about unrest in its own border regions and eager for new sources of energy to feed its booming economy, signed 14 agreements with visiting Uzbek President Islam Karimov on May 25. They included a deal for a $600 million oil joint venture and a treaty of friendship and cooperation. Photo by Jason Lee/Reuters |
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China, worried about unrest in its own border regions and eager for new sources of energy to feed its booming economy, signed 14 agreements with visiting Uzbek President Islam Karimov on Wednesday. They included a deal for a $600 million oil joint venture and a treaty of friendship and cooperation.
"East Turkestan separatists have carried out a lot of terrorist incidents in China. The Uzbekistan side fully understands and supports the Chinese government's stance on this issue," Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan told a news briefing.
China's far-western Xinjiang is home to a Muslim Uighur minority, many of whom favor greater autonomy for the region.
Some have also sought to establish an independent East Turkestan state, though human rights groups have criticized China for using the U.S.-led war on terror as a pretext for an indiscriminate crackdown on Uighurs.
"China and Uzbekistan are friendly neighbors. For the time being in the Central Asian region they face the challenge of the three forces of extremism, terrorism and separatism," Kong said.
The two are also both members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a Central Asian regional security forum. Kong said Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing would attend its next meeting in Kazakhstan on June 4.
Witnesses say more than 500 people died in Uzbekistan when troops put down a popular protest in the town of Andizhan. Karimov denies ordering troops to fire and Uzbek authorities say 169 people died, most of them "bandits."
But China has made clear its support for Karimov, giving him a red-carpet welcome and signing a treaty of friendship and cooperation.
"The treaty further made clear the strong aspirations on both sides to strengthen cooperation between the two countries," Kong said.
"Through strengthening Sino-Uzbek bilateral relations ... we make efforts together to maintain peace and stability in the region and to commit to the region's development and prosperity."
Karimov is to meet Premier Wen Jiabao and State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan on Thursday after holding talks with President Hu Jintao on Wednesday.