China and Algeria vowed on Wednesday to expand cooperation in trade.

 

The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has injected new vitality into the China-Algeria ties, said Vice Premier Huang Ju in his meeting with visiting Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

 

China and Algeria share a special friendship and have been cultivating friendly and sincere relations since they forged diplomatic relations half a century ago, Huang said.

 

He said that the leaders of China and Algeria held sincere and in depth talks during the FOCAC which resulted in a series of agreements in economic, tax, judicial and oil exploration fields.

 

China will implement the important consensus reached between the two leaders to boost bilateral cooperation of mutual benefit, Huang noted.

 

Bouteflika spoke positively about the Algeria-China ties and reiterated Algeria's support for China.

 

Algeria established diplomatic ties with China on December 20, 1958. During President Hu Jintao's visit to Algeria in February 2004, the two countries announced the establishment of a strategic cooperative relationship. Bilateral trade topped US$1.77 billion in 2005.

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 9, 2006)