Visiting Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji met here Sunday with speakers of both houses of the Thai parliament respectively, saying that members of parliaments of the two countries should increase exchanges of visits and enhance mutual understanding and cooperation.

Zhu told House of Representatives Speaker Uthai Pimchaichon and Senate Speaker Manoonkrit Roopkachorn that he is happy to get acquainted with them and conveyed the warm greetings from Li Peng, Chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, to them.

China and Thailand are close and friendly neighbors, Zhu said, noting that the two countries enjoy a traditional friendship as close as kin.

The Chinese premier said that he had a good meeting with Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Saturday and there are no unsettled issues between the two countries. What the two sides should do now is to explore ways to further strengthen their friendly cooperation in all fields.

Zhu thanked Thailand for sticking to One China Policy and its understanding of and support to China's stance on issues such as human rights.

The legislatures of the two countries play an important role in promoting bilateral ties, Zhu said. He also expressed his wishes that members of parliaments of the two countries should increase exchanges of visits on a broad basis and extensively enhance their mutual understanding and cooperation.

The two parliamentary speakers welcomed Zhu's visit to Thailand on behalf of the Thai people and the Thai parliament.

Speaking highly of the development of Thailand-China relations, the two speakers expressed satisfaction over the cooperation between the National Assembly of Thailand and the National People' s Congress of China.

They asked the Chinese premier to convey their best wishes to Chinese President Jiang Zemin, Chairman of China's National People 's Congress Standing Committee Li Peng and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Li Ruihuan.

(Xinhua 05/20/2001)