Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao shakes hands with Czech Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek during their meeting in Prague yesterday.-Xinhua

China and the Czech Republic on Thursday signed a joint declaration, pledging to further develop relations.

"The two countries agreed to develop good relations within the framework of the China-European Union comprehensive strategic partnership and on the basis of the 1999 (Sino-Czech) joint communique," reads the document.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and his Czech counterpart, Jiri Paroubek, inked the nine-point joint declaration.

The two countries are willing to further promote contacts and liaisons at different levels and in different fields to push forward bilateral relations, it says.

"To keep and promote bilateral relations is in line with the aspirations of the two peoples and is in the interests of both countries," says the joint declaration.

The two sides respect each other's choice of path of development and domestic and foreign policies in line with their own national conditions.

"They take note that there are differences in political, economic and social perspectives and in basic values," says the document, adding that the two countries are willing to shelve differences and enhance mutual understanding through intensified dialogue and contacts.

The Czech Republic stated that it will stick to the "one China" policy and favors a peaceful solution to the Taiwan issue through constructive dialogue. The Czech Republic is opposed to any acts that would lead to an escalation of tension across the Taiwan Straits or a change of Taiwan's status. The Chinese side appreciated the Czech Republic's adherence to the "one China" policy and reiterated its position on the Taiwan issue, says the document.

The two sides agreed to expand mutual investment and promote economic and trade cooperation both in scope and scale.

The two sides are willing to complete as soon as possible the preparation of a final text for an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation and tax fraud. They also agreed to have consultations with regard to exports of Czech agricultural products to China.

The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in science and technology, culture, education, sports, public health, tourism and civil aviation and enhance exchanges on regional levels and among citizens.

The two sides underlined each other's obligations in the protection of human rights and the importance of equality- and mutual respect-based dialogue between China and the European Union on the issue of human rights. The Czech side welcomed China's pledge to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as soon as possible.

The two sides voiced support for a stronger United Nations and for UN reform. Both favor the democratization of international relations, respect multilateralism and the diversification of cultures and development models.

Terrorism is a common enemy of the international community and poses a severe threat to human civilizations, says the document. The two sides condemn terrorism in all forms and support efforts to prevent and fight terrorism on condition that they are in line with the UN Charter and other universally recognized norms of international law.