Chinese Vice-Premier Wu Yi met in Beijing Monday with Czech's Industry and Trade Minister Milan Urban and the two officials agreed to expand trade cooperation of the two countries.

Wu told Urban that China and Czech's economy is complementary and the two sides have great potential in cooperation. "Developing bilateral friendly cooperation accords with the interests of the two peoples."

She encouraged entrepreneurs of the two sides to improve exchanges and explore more opportunities for technical cooperation.

Statistics from China's Ministry of Commerce show that the trade volume of the two countries reached US$1.79 billion dollars in 2004, up 13.6 percent on a year-on-year basis. Czech became China's third largest trade partner in middle east Europe following Hungary and Poland.

Urban said Czech values its relations with China and hopes to find new ways and areas to further bilateral economic and trade cooperation through increasing communication.

Urban is visiting China at the invitation of China's Ministry of Commerce. Prior to his meeting with Wu, he talked with his Chinese counterpart, Commerce Minister Bo Xilai.

In addition to Beijing, Urban will also visit Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

(Xinhua News Agency January 18, 2005)