Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met in Beijing Friday with Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, pledging to enhance cooperation with the OIC.

Yang said the OIC is playing a more and more important role in international and regional affairs, and China is willing to further enhance exchanges and cooperation with the organization.

"China and the Islamic world shared a long-term friendship," Yang said. China hoped that the two sides would continue to support one another on issues concerning each other's core interests.

Yang also expressed hope that the two sides would strengthen coordination and cooperation on major international and regional affairs and continue to promote the nongovernmental contact.

Ihsanoglu hailed the traditional friendship and the broad prospects for cooperation between the two sides. He said the OIC attaches great importance to relations with China, and is ready to promote the development of friendly cooperation between China and the Islamic nations.

The OIC was established in 1970. The number of member states has grown from the founding 30 to 57, 27 of which are in Africa.

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