Visiting top adviser Jia Qinglin met with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko in Kiev Tuesday on Sino-Ukraine relations.

 

Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said China and Ukraine have deepened mutual understanding and trust while fostering healthy and stable development of bilateral ties since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1992.

 

In the past 14 years, the cooperation between the two countries has been broadened and deepened with fruitful results in the areas of economy, trade, science and technology, Jia said during his meeting with Yushchenko at the presidential office in Kiev.

 

At the same time, Jia said, exchanges of culture and education have grown actively with enriched content.

 

Expressing satisfaction at bilateral ties, Yushchenko said relations between Ukraine and China have developed quickly with active results of cooperation in the areas of economy and trade.

 

Now the two sides have become important partner of mutually beneficial cooperation, the president said.

 

During the meeting, Jia reiterated that developing long-term and stable, comprehensive friendly cooperation relations with Ukraine has been the fixed policy of the Chinese side.

 

Next year will mark the 15th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and China, and China is willing to take the chance jointly with Ukraine to make efforts to promote their bilateral ties to a higher level, said the leader of the CPPCC, China's top advisory body.

 

Jia also suggested that both sides strengthen contact and exchange at various levels, deepen mutual trust and lay solid political foundation for development of bilateral relations.

 

The two countries will be able to further enhance cooperation in the economic and trade areas, put into effect those fixed agreements and endorsed projects, Jia said.

 

He also expressed China's desire to broaden exchange and cooperation in the areas of cultural education, tourism, sports and journalism, to encourage both sides to contact closely so as to consolidate the social foundation of amity between the two countries.

 

Yushchenko said Ukraine has set the development of ties with China priority of its foreign policy.

 

Ukraine, as political and economic partner of China, is ready to maintain high-level contact and exchange to enhance political dialogue and deepen economic and trade cooperation, he added.

 

Ukraine is the last leg of Jia's four-nation European tour from October 22 to November 3, which has taken him to Britain, Lithuania and Estonia.

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 1, 2006)