Madagascan President Marc Ravalomanana on Thursday visited south China's special economic zone of Shenzhen.

Lu Xinhua, the commissioner of China's Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, met with the president and conveyed President Hu Jintao 's cordial greetings to Ravalomanana.

Lu said the Chinese government attaches importance to relations with Madagascar and is ready to work with Madagascar to push forward the stable and mutually-beneficial partnership between the two countries.

Ravalomanana expressed his cordial greetings and sincere appreciation to Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Madagascar and China enjoy sound political relations, and broad cooperation in economic issues, Ravalomanana said, hoping that the two nations would further enhance the mutually-beneficial cooperation.

Ravalomanana said he would learn from China's experience through this visit to Shenzhen, and then build up confidence in his own country's domestic economic development.

The president said he would attend the Beijing summit of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum in autumn this year.

At the invitation of the Hong Kong General Association of International Investment, Ravalomanana arrived in Hong Kong on Wednesday for a three-day working visit with a business promotion delegation consisting of several ministerial officials.

The president left Shenzhen for Hong Kong late on Thursday and will leave Hong Kong for home on Friday.

(Xinhua News Agency April 21, 2006)