Economic and trade cooperation between China and Georgia will progress with their joint efforts, Premier Wen Jiabao said in Beijing Wednesday.

 

Wen said in a meeting with visiting Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili that both countries should enhance cooperation in agriculture, science, technology and transport, and create conditions to attract cross investment.

 

China and Georgia enjoy a traditional friendship and have witnessed stable growth of cooperation since forging diplomatic ties in 1992, he said.

 

The Chinese government valued its relations with Georgia, and respected Georgia's domestic and foreign policies, he said, noting that the Chinese government was ready to work with Georgia for the development of bilateral ties on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefits.

 

Saakashvili said Georgia and China had witnessed rapid growth of bilateral relations and positive achievements in economic and trade cooperation.

 

Georgia took a positive view of China's development, the president said, acknowledging that his country was ready to learn from China's experience of reform and opening-up.

 

Georgia would join in China to increase bilateral cooperation in economy, trade, skills development, telecommunications, electric power, transport and tourism, and to promote the growth of mutually-beneficial cooperation.

 

(Xinhua News Agency April 13, 2006)