Senior official Wu Guanzheng met in Santiago Friday with Chilean Chamber of Deputies President Patricio Walker Prieto on ways of enhancing Sino-Chilean cooperation.

 

Wu, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said relations between the two countries have seen steady development since diplomatic ties were forged in 1970.

 

The two countries established the comprehensive and cooperative partnership in 2004, pushing mutually beneficial cooperation to a new high, Wu noted.

 

Wu, who arrived here Thursday for a three-day good-will visit to Chile, said with the deepening of the mutual political trust between the two countries, bilateral trade has been witnessing rapid growth along with ever-increasing exchanges in culture, education, tourism, science and technology.

 

The two countries have also supported each other on many regional and international issues, he added.

 

Wu said China attaches great importance to its friendship with Chile, and is willing to work with the Chilean side to push for further development of the comprehensive and cooperative partnership between the two countries.

 

He also expressed appreciation of Chile's upholding of the one-China policy.

 

Walker agreed with Wu on the evaluation of the bilateral relations.

 

He recalled the development of the Chilean-Chinese friendship, saying the Chilean side admires the great achievements China has made in its socio-economic development.

 

Walker reiterated that sticking to the one-China policy is a consistent policy of the Chilean government and parliament, and Chile will continue to maintain high-level exchanges with China and make efforts to increase friendly exchanges and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in trade, economy and investment.

 

Upon his arrival, Wu said the purpose of his visit to Chile was to conduct extensive exchanges, enhance friendship, expand common ground and promote cooperation.

 

Chile was the last leg of Wu's three-nation Latin American tour, which has taken him to Cuba and Colombia.

 

(Xinhua News Agency April 28, 2007)