Macedonia will make continuous efforts to develop a comprehensive relationship of friendly cooperation with China, Ljubco Jordanovski, Macedonian acting president and parliament speaker, said in Skopje Thursday when meeting with visiting Chinese special envoy.  

Jordanovski made the pledge during talks with Chinese Railways Minister Liu Zhijun, special envoy of the Chinese government attending the funeral of Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski who was killed in an air crash.

Jordanovski said Macedonia would remain committed to promoting bilateral ties and standing firm for the one-China policy.

He also expressed gratitude on behalf of the Macedonian government for the Chinese envoy's attending the funeral.

Minister Liu stressed that China attaches great importance to its relations with Macedonia, and admires Macedonia's support for the one-China policy.

China will boost bilateral cooperation in economic and political areas based on the spirit of mutual respect, equality and reciprocity, Liu said.

Macedonian Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski also held talks Thursday with Minister Liu, vowing to further strengthen the Sino-Macedonian friendly and cooperative relations.

Liu expressed his condolences over the death of President Trajkovski, acknowledging his outstanding contribution to the country's unity and prosperity and his crucial role in preserving the stability in southeastern European region.

Trajkovski, 47, had been Macedonia's president since 1999. His plane, with eight other people on board, crashed on Feb. 26 in thick fog in southern Bosnia en route to an regional investment conference in the western Bosnian city of Mostar.

Parliament speaker Ljubco Jordanovski has since assumed interim presidency.

(Xinhua News Agency March 5, 2004)