'Romania-China friendship is rock-firm'

At the invitation of Doru Costea, Romanian ambassador to China, reporters from the PLA Daily went to the Romanian Embassy in China on the eve of the Romanian Army Day which falls on October 25, 2012 to talk about China in the ambassador's eyes.

"Chinese people's friendliness and inclusiveness left me with a deep impression."

Costea assumed the office of Romanian ambassador to China in January 2012. Upon his arrival in Beijing, he was deeply impressed by China's rapid economic development and urban modernization drive.

"Every day in China, I have been looking into the way in which the Chinese people live and think, and learning the successful experience of China's modernization drive." In his words, Ambassador Costea showed great interests in China for its ancient civilization with a history of 5,000 years, and in the wisdom and spirit of the Chinese people. "During my contacts with Chinese friends, I found Chinese people are diligent, sincere, honest and hospitable. The Chinese people's friendliness and inclusiveness left me with a deep impression."

"Romania has been regarding China as a good friend and a good partner"

"Romania-China friendship is rock-firm." said Costea. "Romania is the third country in the world to establish diplomatic relations with New China. The two countries have been maintaining close and friendly relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries 63 years ago. Romania has been regarding China as a good friend and a close partner. Up to now, the two countries has had nearly 30 pairs of sister cities."

In 2011, the volume of bilateral trade between China and Romania reached a record US$4.06 billion. But affected by the European Sovereign Debt Crisis, the bilateral trade volume has fallen on a year-on-year basis since January 2012. "We are convinced that the bilateral trade is bound to show new momentum of growth with the efforts of both sides." Ambassador Costea was very confident and hopeful.

"Representatives from over 60 Chinese enterprises are visiting Romania these days and two Romanian economic delegations are going to visit Beijing and other parts of China." Costea said that the recent important achievements of bilateral economic and trade cooperation are the inaugurations of such major investment projects as renewable energy sources, electric power and infrastructure. Moreover, he said that the two sides have also cooperated well in hi-tech industries and communication technology.

Since 2008, China and Romania have successively signed new agreement on education cooperation, memorandum of understanding on establishing mutual cultural centers in Romania and China, as well as memorandum of understanding on cooperation in communication technology. Furthermore, China has set up two Confucius Institutes in Sibiu and Cluj of Romania. "Currently, the two countries exchange over 30 visiting delegations and groups in such fields as culture, education, science and technology every year." said Costea. He told reporters that he had just paid a visit to the Peking University (PKU) on October 15, 2012, during which the two sides discussed the cooperation between colleges of the two countries in such fields as student exchanges, joint scientific research and public servant training, in an effort to provide teachers and students of the two countries with more overseas study and exchange opportunities.