China and Luxembourg pledged on Tuesday to comprehensively advance their relations as the two countries signed cooperative deals in various fields.

 

"China values the friendly cooperation with Luxembourg and would like to expand bilateral cooperation on business, culture and education," Chinese President Hu Jintao said on Tuesday in a meeting with visiting Luxembourg's Grand Duke Duc Henri.

 

Sino-Luxembourg ties have progressed smoothly since the two countries established diplomatic ties 34 years ago, Hu said. "Particularly in recent years, remarkable achievements have been made."

 

Last year, China-Luxembourg trade hit US$2.2 billion, up 109 percent from the previous year.

 

The strong momentum of high-level visits would be maintained, ensuring the continuation of dialogue at various levels, Hu added

 

"The two countries should boost cooperation in finance, iron and steel and satellite communications," Hu said, encouraging bigger investments between businesses in the two countries. Hu also proposed deepening exchanges on culture and education to enhance bilateral cultural agreements.

 

Hailing the Luxembourg-China ties as a "paradigm" between small and big countries, Henri said Luxembourg valued the friendship with China. Henri reviewed the fruitful bilateral cooperation on trade, finance, iron and steel, tourism, culture and education in recent years.

 

"Luxembourg would like to cooperate with China in an all-round way," the Grand Duke said, promising that Luxembourg would attend the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai.

 

Following the meeting, Hu and Henri witnessed the signing of China-Luxembourg agreements on trade, finance and education.

 

Luxembourg's Grand Duke started his week-long state visit to China on Sunday and is scheduled to visit Shandong and Shanghai after Beijing.

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 6, 2006)