Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao and Saudi Arabian King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz held talks Saturday and they reached important consensus on strengthening bilateral cooperation in various fields and push forward the development of bilateral strategic friendship and cooperation.

Hu, who arrived earlier Saturday on his first state visit to Saudi Arabia, said China attached importance to bilateral relationship.

He said bilateral relations have made remarkable progress since the two countries established diplomatic ties in July 1990, and the two countries have become good friends with mutual trust and good partners with sincere cooperation.

The consensus reached between the two sides at the beginning of this year on establishing strategic friendship and cooperation marks a new era in the development of bilateral ties, Hu added.

He said his current visit was aimed at furthering bilateral friendship and cooperation in various fields and the continuous development of bilateral strategic friendship and cooperation.

China will work with Saudi Arabia to consolidate mutual trust, conduct exchanges in various fields and at various levels, and lay a firm foundation for the development of bilateral ties, said Hu.

China will also work with Saudi Arabia to strengthen consultations and coordination on major international and regional issues, expand consensus, and make efforts to promote peace and stability in the Middle East and Gulf region, the Asia-Pacific and the world at large, said the Chinese president.

Hu attributed the smooth development of bilateral relations to their reciprocal and win-win principle and pragmatic cooperation, and listed the following five key areas for bilateral cooperation at the present stage:

-- To expand investment and cooperation between enterprises of the two countries.

China encourages Chinese enterprises to take part in Saudi infrastructure construction and help Saudi Arabia train personnel in the fields of industrial and agricultural technology, vocational education, environmental treatment, and information technology.

-- To deepen energy cooperation, expand oil trade, and explore cooperation in oil storage facilities, oil refining, petrochemicals and sales.

-- To expand bilateral trade. China will make joint efforts with Saudi Arabia to speed up the process of the negotiations on a free trade area between China and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

-- To promote cultural and educational exchanges to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples.

-- To perfect bilateral cooperation mechanisms and give full play to them.

Echoing Hu's remarks, King Abdullah said Saudi Arabia hoped to cultivate sincere friendship and conduct all-round cooperation with China. He added that bilateral cooperation benefited both countries and peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

The two heads of state also exchanged views on regional situations, the Palestinian-Israeli conflicts and the Iraq issue.

Hu said China was paying close attention to the situations in the Middle East and the Gulf region and making its own efforts to promote peace and development in the region.

He said China held the view that all actions and initiatives concerning the region should proceed from the purpose of realizing regional peace, while dialogue should be taken as a means of realizing peace.

The choices of the countries and their peoples should also be respected and extensive consultations should be applied, Hu added.

He said China would strengthen coordination and cooperation with Saudi Arabia to jointly promote stability and development in the region.

King Abdullah voiced his appreciation for China's constructive role in realizing regional peace and promoting economic and social development, hoping that China would pay more attention to issues in the region and continue to play a positive role in resolving such issues.

The two heads of state attended a signing ceremony for bilateral cooperative documents after the talks.

On Saturday evening, Hu attended a banquet hosted by King Abdullah.

Saudi Arabia is the second leg of Hu's five-nation tour which has already taken him to the United States and will also take him to Morocco, Nigeria and Kenya.

Saudi Arabia is China's biggest trade partner in west Asia and north Africa with their trade volume last year reaching US$16 billion.

(Xinhua News Agency April 23, 2006)