Wu Guanzheng, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, arrived Saturday, kicking off a good-will visit to Malta.

Wu, also secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC Central Committee, had a friendly conversation with Tonio Borg, deputy prime minister and deputy leader of the Nationalist Party of Malta, upon his arrival at the local airport.

Wu said China is ready to join Malta to further develop the friendly relations and cooperation between the two nations, as the Chinese government and the CPC value the traditional friendship between the two nations and the two peoples.

He hoped his ongoing visit serve to further deepen the friendly ties between the two countries and the two parties.

Borg extended a warm welcome to the CPC delegation, headed by Wu, on behalf of the Maltese government and wished the visit a complete success.

Malta is the first leg of Wu's four-nation good-will visit in Europe, which will also take him to Sweden, Finland and Belarus, before flying back to Beijing on Sept. 28.

(Xinhua News Agency September 18, 2005)