By IRNA
Beijing : Chinese President Hu Jintao has sent a congratulatory telegram to Islam Karimov on the occasion of Karimov’ s victory in the presidential elections in Uzbekistan, Xinhua news agency said on Tuesday.
Hu said in the message that “China has always respected Uzbekistan’s own choice of its development path and supported Uzbekistan’s efforts aimed at the protection of national sovereignty, territorial integrity and security.”
“Uzbekistan has enjoyed political stability, progress in the economic development and growth of the living standards. The country’s international influence has continuously expanded,” Hu stressed in his telegram.
Beijing and Tashkent “have established a friendly partnership on the basis of mutual respect, mutual trust, equality and mutual benefit” within 15 years of diplomatic relations, the Chinese president said, according to Itar Tass.
Hu said “China and Uzbekistan are friendly neighboring countries and the two peoples have traditionally enjoyed friendship.”