Visiting top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo lauded the smooth development of Sino-Bulgarian relations on Saturday, saying the two countries had no conflict of interests.

Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress, said China attached importance to developing ties with Bulgaria, a Balkan state which was among the first countries to establish ties with the People's Republic of China.

There had been no historical or current obstacles impeding the two countries to forge closer ties, Wu said at a meeting with Bulgarian president Georgi Parvanov.

Despite the great changes on the international arena and at home, the two countries, with different social systems and different development models, had maintained friendly cooperation, said Wu, who arrived on Friday for a two-day official good-will visit.

China respected Bulgaria's choice of social system and development road, and understood and supported its efforts to integrate into the European Union, Wu said.

China also understood and supported Bulgaria's security policies adopted in light with its security concerns, Wu said in reference to Bulgaria's new membership in NATO.

He said China wanted to see Bulgaria play a greater constructive role in regional and international affairs.

Wu expressed appreciation for Bulgaria's continued adherence to the one-China policy, saying this was the political foundation for developing bilateral ties.

Parvanov said Bulgaria had always stood by the one-China policy and would continue to do so.

He said Wu's visit gave impetus to the traditional friendly ties between the two countries, adding that Bulgaria put great emphasis on its ties with China.

Bulgaria would push forward such good relations to a new level in the course of its integration into the EU, said the president.

Referring to the international situation, Wu said factors of uncertainty remained, but more favorable conditions existed for safeguarding world peace and promoting development.

As polarization and economic globalization were on the rise, win-win cooperation, and mutual security and development had become an irreversible trend, Wu said.

Also on Saturday, Wu met with Bulgarian Premier Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Foreign Minister Passi Solomen in separate talks aimed at exploring ways to enhance bilateral cooperation.

Wu arrived from St. Petersburg of Russia after wounding up a one-week visit to Russia, the first leg of his four-nation tour, which would also take him to Denmark and Norway.

(Xinhua News Agency May 31, 2004)