Chinese State Councilor Zhou Yongkang expressed his hope Monday for Chinese and Icelandic judiciary departments to cement exchanges and cooperation to contribute to bilateral relations.

Zhou, when meeting with a visiting delegation led by Minister of Justice and Religious Affairs Bjorn Bjarnason of Iceland, vowed to fully draw on experiences of other countries all over the world in the field of legal construction and make efforts to maintain social stability.

He briefed the guests on China's efforts on "governing the country in line with law and building a socialist country under the rule of law".

Since the two countries established diplomatic ties, China and Iceland have witnessed continuously expanding cooperation and developing friendship on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, Zhou said.

He said both sides share same or similar stand on major international issues and wide-ranging common interests.

Bjarnason said Iceland is willing to continue to strengthen cooperation with China in various fields including legal and judiciary affairs and jointly fight terrorist activities and cross-border crimes to promote both sides' economic expansion.

(Xinhua News Agency July 6, 2004)