Visiting Chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Wu Bangguo held talks in Athens on Tuesday with Greek Parliament President Anna Psarouda-Benaki, focusing on Sino-Greek relations and exchanges between the two legislatures.

 

Benaki said Greece attached great importance to the development of its relations with China, paid attention to China's development, and admired the achievements made by China in its modernization drive.

 

The Greek parliament is willing to boost Greek-Chinese friendly relations through cooperation and exchanges between the two legislative bodies at all levels, in every aspect, Benaki said.

 

She added that the Greek parliament and herself had been awaiting Wu's and his delegation's visit with great interest.

 

For his part, Wu said his visit to Greece would maintain the momentum of high-level visits, promote mutual understanding and trust, and increase the practical cooperation in the fields of trade, tourism, culture, education and the Olympic Games between the two countries.

 

He said Sino-Greek relations had developed very smoothly in the past 34 years.

 

The two legislatures are able to enrich and invigorate the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Greece by strengthening coordination in international and regional parliamentary organizations, and by exchanging the know-how of democracy, legislation and administration.

 

Before their talks, Wu was awarded the Medal of Honor of the Greek Parliament by Benaki.

 

Wu arrived here on Monday for his first four-day official visit to Greece, the third leg of his four-nation tour, which will next take him to Russia. He has already visited Romania and Moldova.

 

(Xinhua News Agency May 24, 2006)