Top legislator Wu Bangguo met in Beijing Wednesday with visiting Romanian President Traian Basescu, calling for the two sides to maintain high-level exchanges and make new contributions to the development of China-Romania relations.

 

Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislative body, said China and Romania are traditional friendly countries and the friendship between the two peoples endured changes in international and domestic affairs.

 

China-Romania relations have maintained a stable growth since the two countries established diplomatic relations 57 years ago, Wu said, adding the political mutual trust has increased and cooperation in various fields between the two countries scored remarkable achievement.

 

Wu called Romania an "important partner" and a "reliable friend" of China, expressing the NPC's willingness to support the China-Romania friendly and cooperative partnership and further exchanges between the two parliaments, special commissions and young parliament members.

 

Basescu said that he can feel the friendship from Chinese people for Romania, noting that the mutual respect between the two countries has played a fundamental role in promoting the bilateral relations.

 

The purpose of my visit is to consolidate the political relations between the two countries and create favorable conditions for bilateral pragmatic cooperation of mutual benefit, Basescu noted.

 

He also expressed the hope that the success of his China visit would further cement the bilateral ties.

 

(Xinhua News Agency March 30, 2006)