Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said in Beijing Thursday during a meeting with visiting Romanian President Ion Iliescu that the joint statement signed by two leaders will be a guideline for the future development of Sino-Romanian relations.

Wen said the Chinese government was ready to cooperate with Romania side to fulfill the consensus reached by the joint document.

Referring to the development of the bilateral trade between the two countries, Wen said that since Romanian prime minister's visit to China last April China had increased imports from Romania. As a result, bilateral trade volume has surged.

"Under the joint efforts of the two countries, the annual trade volume this year will be a historical record," Wen said.

There is still great potential for Sino-Romanian economic and trade cooperation, he said.

Iliescu said Romania had been studying the experience of China's development, which had benefited many other countries. Romania hoped to expand cooperation with China and push forward bilateral relations to a new high.

(Xinhua News Agency August 22, 2003)