Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan said in Beijing Tuesday that China is willing to increase cooperation with Serbia and Montenegro and expand the good bilateral political relations to all sectors.

During his meeting with Predrag Boskovic, vice foreign minister of the Serbia and Montenegro, Tang noted that China and Serbia and Montenegro have formed firm political trust during the past decades and the traditional friendship between the people of the two countries are time tested.

China appreciates Serbia and Montenegro's adherence to the one-China policy and its firm opposition to the "Taiwan independence", Tang said.

He went on to say that China respects the national sovereignty and territory integrity of Serbia and Montenegro and hopes the Kosovo issue would be resolved properly through dialogues between relevant parties.

Boskovic said China and Serbia and Montenegro have established profound friendship through long-term cooperation and further promotion of relations with China is one of the key aspects of Serbia and Montenegro's diplomacy.

He said the Serbia and Montenegro government thanks China for its principled stance on the Kosovo issue and will continue to stand firm with the one-China policy.

Boskovic is currently on a visit to China at the invitation of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

(Xinhua News Agency September 22, 2004)