Li Peng, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, met in Beijing Tuesday with Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

China attaches great importance to the development of Sino-Thai relations and the PM's visit is expected to make new contributions to the development of the traditional relations between the two countries, Li said.

Li said that he is glad to see that the Thai government, no matter who has been in office, has always been friendly to China and the bilateral relations of the two countries can be viewed as a model of coexistence for countries of different social systems.

Thaksin said that he hopes that Thailand and China can establish strategic partnerships in the international political and economic arenas.

Thaksin, who arrived in Beijing Monday afternoon, is visiting as guest of Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji.

(Xinhua News Agency 08/28/2001)