China is ready to make joint efforts with Argentina to fulfill the consensus reached by the two countries' leaders on developing bilateral relations, said Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Beijing Tuesday.

In his meeting with visiting Argentine President Nestor Kirchner, Wen said the Sino-Argentine relations enjoyed great development since the establishment of bilateral ties 32 years ago.

Wen expressed his belief that Kirchner's current visit will further boost the bilateral cooperation in various fields.

Wen said the Sino-Argentine economic and trade relations developed rapidly in recent years.

At present, the two countries should make good use of the 15th Sino-Argentine Mixed Committee on Commerce and Trade and the 6th Sino-Argentine Mixed Committee on Technology to discuss the new manner and methods of the two-way investment and promote new progress of the bilateral cooperation in agriculture, infrastructure and high technology, Wen said.

China welcomes Argentine enterprises to participate in the economic construction in the western and northeastern regions of China and encourages Chinese companies to invest in Argentina, he said.

Nestor said Argentina and China share the same or similar opinions on many important international issues. Argentina admires China's achievements in economic development and hopes to use China's experience as reference, Nestor added.

Argentina attaches importance to the two countries' relations, he said, adding that Argentina hopes to enhance the bilateral exchanges and cooperation in agriculture, transportation, tourism, culture and education, and further promote the development of relations between the South American common market and China, as well as between South America and China.

(Xinhua News Agency June 30, 2004)