Chinese top political advisor Jia Qinglin has begun his four-day visit to New Zealand. He is proposing to enhance cooperation in disaster prevention and reconstruction between the two countries.

Jia Qinglin (front), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, inspects a damaged church during his visit to the most seriously damaged area of Christchurch by the 6.3-magnitude earthquake on Feb. 22, 2011 in Christchurch of southern New Zealand, April 15, 2012.

Jia made the remarks while meeting with Bob Parker, mayor of earthquake-hit Christchurch in southern New Zealand.

Jia Qinglin is also seeking more reciprocal cooperation, saying the two countries have solid political, economic and public basis for the cooperation. He says China will give full play to the role of the bilateral free-trade pact.

For his part, Parker has vowed to work with China to strengthen cooperation on the basis of the free-trade deal and push forward their ties to a new high. Christchurch is the first stop of Jia's four-day visit. He will also travel to Wellington.

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