China is satisfied with the growth of its ties with Belarus and regards it as a reliable friend and sincere partner, a senior Communist Party of China (CPC) leader said in Minsk Tuesday.

In a meeting with Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko, Wu Guanzheng, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC, said China is ready to work with Belarus to push bilateral ties to a higher level.

Wu, also secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC Central Committee, also conveyed the best regards from President Hu Jintao to Lukashenko.

He said relations between China and Belarus have seen a healthy and stable growth since the two forged diplomatic ties 13 years ago, with frequent exchanges of high-level visits, increased friendship and mutual trust, and remarkable achievements in the economic, trade, scientific, technological, cultural and educational sectors.

This has brought about benefits to the two peoples, he said.

The growth of an all-round friendly relationship of cooperation, characterized by a long-term, stable, highly trust-worthy and well-coordinated manner, is in the fundamental interests of the two nations and the two peoples, said Wu.

He thanked Belarus for its persistent support to China on the Taiwan issue.

Lukashenko said the two nations have forged a close relationship of mutual trust and both sides have made fruitful achievements in many sectors.

The Belarussian people treasure their friendly cooperative ties with the Chinese people and are grateful to China's precious support in the long run, the president said, noting the Belarussian government has always attached importance to the Belarus-China ties.

Belarus would like to undertake, in a more extensive way, the mutually beneficial cooperation with China in many fields and boost bilateral relations to a new high, he said.

He reiterated Belarus' persistence to the one-China policy.

Wu on Sunday flew to Belarus, the last leg of his four-nation good-will visit to Europe, which has taken him to Malta, Sweden and Finland.

He is scheduled to fly home to Beijing on Wednesday morning.

(Xinhua News Agency September 28, 2005)