Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), met in Beijing Thursday with Mari Alkatiri, prime minister of East Timor.

Alkatiri is the first leader from East Timor to visit China since East Timor became independent. Wu said the visit is important and will promote the relations between the two countries.

He said the Chinese new collective leadership pays much attention to developing long-term and stable relations of cooperation with East Timor on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, and China is ready to offer help for the economic and social development of East Timor.

The top legislator said that the NPC values relations with the parliament of East Timor, and will build up the friendly bilateral ties. The two parliaments should coordinate and cooperate in the international and regional parliamentary organizations to safeguard the interests of the developing countries.

Wu also said that as friendly countries, China and East Timor have great potential in economic cooperation.

Alkatiri said that he visited China over 20 years ago, and through the current visit he has found that great changes have taken place in China. The achievements China has made fully demonstrate that the reform and opening-up policy is correct, he said.

He said that the relations between East Timor and China are strengthening although the two countries established relations not long ago. The two sides signed many agreements for cooperation during his current visit, Alkatiri said, voicing his belief that the relations between East Timor and China will develop quickly.
  
(Xinhua News Agency September 19, 2003)