Expanded exchanges between the parliaments of China and Jamaica will contribute to the friendship and cooperation between the two countries, visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping said in Kingston Thursday.

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Speaker of Jamaica's House of Representatives Delroy Chuck (L) and President of Jamaica's Senate Oswald Harding (C) in Kingston, capital of Jamaica, on Feb. 12, 2009. [Xinhua]

Meeting with Jamaican parliament leaders, Xi called Jamaica "China's important cooperation partner in the Caribbean region" and said that ties between China and Jamaica have seen steady growth since the two countries set up diplomatic relations 36 years ago.

He said China and Jamaica, both developing countries, are complementary to each other economically and their mutually beneficial cooperation is fruitful, adding that promoting bilateral friendly cooperation serves the fundamental interests of both countries and peoples.

He called for expanding exchanges between the top legislatures of the two countries, especially in the field of legislation.

Xi, who arrived in Kingston, capital of Jamaica, Wednesday for an official visit to the Caribbean island country, met separately with Senate President Oswald Harding and Delroy Chuck, president of the House of Representatives.

Both Harding and Chuck said Jamaica is willing to draw experiences from China in developing the national economy and tackling the global financial crisis.

They also expressed the hope that the two sides should further enhance exchanges and cooperation in such fields as parliamentary affairs, culture and sports.

They reiterated Jamaica's adherence to the one-China policy.

Jamaica is the second leg of Xi's six-nation tour, which has taken him to Mexico and will also take him to Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and Malta.

(Xinhua News Agency February 13, 2009)