Slovenian President Janez Drnovsek said on Thursday that the Sino-Slovenian ties have developed smoothly over the past 15 years and maintained the positive momentum, said reports reaching Belgrade from the Slovenian capital Ljubljana.

Drnovsek made the comment as he met the new Chinese ambassador to Slovenia, Zhi Zhaolin, who handed his credentials to Drnovsek.

Drnovsek said that China has been playing an important role in the international community with its impressive economic development and expanding national strength. He said that Slovenia would strive to promote Sino-Slovenian cooperation and Sino-EU ties when it takes over the EU rotation presidency in the first half of 2008.

Zhi, who arrived in Ljubljana on April 2 to perform his new duty, said that China sees cooperation with Slovenia as a priority in the framework of its relations with the European Union, which is China's main trading partner.

He said China was ready to promote the bilateral cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit.

(Xinhua News Agency April 20, 2007)