Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on Friday spoke highly of China's peaceful rise, saying that China's peaceful rise is a best thing for Ethiopia and the rest of Africa.

Africa's development of cooperative relations with China is in line with Africa's strategic interest, said the Ethiopian prime minister during talks with Wang Dongming, deputy head of the Department of Organization under the Communist Party of China.

Meles, also chairman of the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), said the Ethiopian side has greatly benefited from EPRDF's cooperation with the Communist Party of China (CPC) over the past years, adding that he hoped that the bilateral cooperation between the two ruling parties will further be consolidated in the years ahead.

Wang for his part said Ethiopia under the leadership of EPRDF has been registering encouraging development achievements.

He commended the efforts being made by EPRDF to reduce poverty and ensure peace and stability in the country.

Wang said EPRDF is one of the political parties in Africa, which are striving for attaining speedy development and building democracy.

The Chinese senior official said the relations between the two ruling parties have been further enhanced.

He said the CPC is ready to share its rich experiences with the EPRDF on how it has managed to achieve speedy economic development.

Wang and his entourage arrived in Addis Ababa on Thursday evening for a working visit.

(Xinhua News Agency July 21, 2007)