China and Algeria on Monday held a ceremony to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Addressing the reception hosted by the China-Arab Friendship Association and Algeria Embassy to China, Chen Haosu, president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), spoke highly of the traditional friendship and cooperation between China and Algeria.

"China and Algeria witnessed frequent high-level exchanges and deepening cooperation in fields of economy, trade, culture, health, human resources training," Chen said, adding the country hopes to promote strategic cooperative ties with Algeria.

Ambassador of Algeria Djamel Eddine Grine said Algeria and China have maintained a friendly and sincere relationship since 1958 when diplomatic ties were established. Bilateral trade volume has increased from 190 million U.S. dollars in 2000 to the current4 billion U.S. dollars.

"The Algerian government would like to develop closer cooperative ties with China so as to promote bilateral relations to yield more fruits in a new era," the ambassador said.

On Dec. 20, Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Algerian counterpart Abdelaziz Bouteflika exchanged messages of congratulation Saturday to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between their two countries.

China was the first non-Arabian country to recognize Algeria's independence and forged the diplomatic relations with it on Dec. 20, 1958.

(Xinhua News Agency December 23, 2008)