Cypriot President Tasso Papadopoulos on Tuesday met with Wang Zhaoguo, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, to exchange views on the development of bilateral ties.

 

During the meeting, Papadopoulos spoke highly of friendly cooperation in different fields between the two countries and hoped to promote bilateral ties to a higher level.

 

The president stressed that Cyprus would continue to adhere to the one-China policy and oppose "independence of Taiwan."

 

As a member of the European Union (EU), Cyprus is willing to promote the development of relations between the EU and China, Papadopoulos said.

 

For his part, Wang said that the political mutual trust between China and Cyprus has been constantly deepened since the establishment of diplomatic relations 35 years ago.

 

China wants to further deepen and broaden cooperation with Cyprus in politics, economy, trade and culture to the benefit of the two countries and two peoples, he said.

 

Wang arrived in Nicosia earlier in the day on an official goodwill visit at the invitation of Cyprus parliament. The Chinese delegation has previously visited Portugal, Finland and France.

 

(Xinhua News Agency June 14, 2006)