The Chinese government has an unswerving policy to push for the stable growth of friendly and cooperative relations between China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), said President Hu Jintao in Beijing on Monday.

Hu made the remarks in a meeting with UAE vice-president and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who was here on a four-day official trip.

Highlighting the China-UAE relationship, Hu expressed appreciation for the UAE's adherence to the one-China policy and applauded the UAE's support for China in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity on the Taiwan and Tibet issues.

Considering China and the UAE as good friends and partners, Hu said that China was ready to work with the UAE to further increase high-level exchanges and make full use of relevant mechanisms to coordinate in a timely way on bilateral relations and other major issues of common concern.

The two nations are highly complementary in economic terms, Hu said, urging the two sides to achieve new progress in bilateral cooperation in economy, trade, energy, investment and other areas.

China encouraged companies from both sides to increase investment in the other country and expand mutually beneficial cooperation in infrastructure construction, engineering, telecommunications, labor services and other fields, Hu said.

The two countries should also strengthen exchanges and cooperation in culture, education and tourism and promote friendly exchanges between the two peoples, he added.

Hu said that China and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) should strengthen their collective dialogue and exchanges, seek an all-round development of their friendly and cooperative relations and improve their coordination in international and regional affairs.

Mohammed said that the UAE always supported China's reunification cause and he wished China success in holding the Beijing Olympic Games.

The two nations have enjoyed rapid growth in economic cooperation and have constantly expanded their areas of cooperation in recent years, Mohammed said. The UAE would continue to make efforts to cement and advance the UAE-China friendship and promote cooperation with China in various areas to achieve better development of bilateral relations.

(Xinhua News Agency April 1, 2008)