Wei Jianxing, member of the Political Bureau Standing Committee and of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met here Tuesday with a delegation from the Social-Democratic Party (SDP) of Austria led by Chairman Alfred Gusenbauer.
Wei said Austria is an important country in central Europe and plays a unique role in European and international affairs.
Since China and Austria forged diplomatic relations 30 years ago, Wei said, the friendly and cooperative ties between the two countries have had an all-round development and bilateral cooperation in various fields has been expanding and fruitful.
Wei recalled Chinese President Jiang Zemin's successful visit to Austria in 1999 and Austrian President Thomas Klestil's visit to China in May this year, saying that the close high-level contacts between leaders of the two countries have laid a good foundation for the sound and steady development of bilateral ties in the new century.
China will continue to make efforts with Austria, on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, to push bilateral friendship and cooperation in various fields to a new level, said Wei.
He spoke positively of the relations between the CPC and the SDP and voiced his appreciation for SDP leaders' consistent efforts for promoting bilateral friendship.
He stressed that the CPC attaches importance to the exchanges and cooperation with the SDP, and is ready to further the friendly exchanges in the spirit of mutual respect, conducting active dialogues and seeking common ground while reserving differences.
This will help enhance the understanding and friendship between the two peoples and promote an overall development of bilateral friendship and cooperation, added Wei.
Gusenbauer said bilateral relations have developed smoothly in various fields over the past 30 years.
He also pointed to the exchange of visits between Jiang and Klestil, which, in his words, injected new driving power into the overall development of bilateral ties in the new century.
Recalling his visit to China 13 years ago, Gusenbauer said China has witnessed great changes and he is convinced that China will score greater achievements in its reform and opening-up drive in the new century.
A stable and developing China is bound to make more contributions to world peace and development, he added.
Wei also briefed the delegation on the contents of "three represents’" General Secretary Jiang Zemin of the CPC Central Committee has put forward.
(Xinhua News Agency 08/22/2001)
