Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body, met in Beijing Saturday with Mohamed Salah Mentouri, president of the National Economic and Social Council of Algeria.

Speaking of Sino-Algerian ties, Jia said China and Algeria enjoyed a good bilateral relationship despite volatile changes in the international situation and the Sino-Algerian ties have kept strengthening during the past 40 years under the personal care of the leaders as well as concerted efforts of both nations.

The friendly cooperation between China and Algeria in politics, trade, economy and culture have yielded remarkable result and the two sides also support and coordinate closely in international affairs, Jia acknowledged.

Chinese President Hu Jintao paid a state visit to Algeria in February 2004, and the two sides announced the formation of strategic cooperative partnership. "This epitomizes the consolidation and in-depth growth of the traditional friendship between China and Algeria in the new era," Jia said.

Jia also voiced his support to the exchange and cooperation between the Chinese Research Association for Economy and Society and the National Economic and Social Council of Algeria.

He said he hoped that the two organizations would improve communication and diversify patterns of cooperation so as to offer good ideas for the economic and social development of their respective countries.

Mentouri thanked China for its support to Algeria's struggle for national independence. And he said the Algerian National Economic and Social Council and the Chinese Research Association for Economy and Society enjoyed good cooperative relations and the Algerian side was ready to cooperate with the Chinese side so as to contribute more to the growth of Algeria-China relations.

(Xinhua News Agency October 10, 2004)