Top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo met with Moldovan President Vladinir Voronin in the Moldovan capital, Chisinau, on Sunday to discuss cooperation between the two countries.

Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), arrived in Chisinau Saturday for a two-day official visit following a trip to Romania.

During the meeting, Voronin said that the exchange of high-level visits between the two countries has contributed to promoting bilateral relations. He expressed his belief that Wu's visit would further strengthen relations and promote cooperation between the two countries.

Voronin said that developing friendly relations with China is of major importance to the Moldovan government, parliament and political parties, and is conducive to the fundamental interests of the Moldovan people.

He said that the good political ties between Moldova and China represent an impetus to enhancing cooperation in the fields of economics and trade.

The president reiterated that his government abides by the one-China policy.

Wu said that bilateral ties between China and Moldova have developed healthily since the two countries forged diplomatic ties 14 years ago.

The visit by then President Jiang Zemin to Moldova in 2001, and President Voronin's visit to China in 2003 helped to push Sino-Moldovan ties to new heights, he added.

Wu noted that China attaches importance to Sino-Moldovan relations and is willing to work together with Moldova to increase top-level exchanges and to deepen economic and trade cooperation, so as to further develop bilateral relations on the basis of equality and mutual benefit.

Also on Sunday, Wu met with Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev. Wu said China will seriously carry out the existing cooperation projects with Moldova on the basis of mutual benefit.

Bilateral economic and trade cooperation, a material basis for strengthening Sino-Moldovan relations, has great potential, Wu said.

Wu added that although current economic and trade cooperation is still in the developing stage, the trend is promising, and trade volume has increased very quickly over a short period of time.

For his part, Tarlev said Moldova highly values the mutual trust, friendship and cooperation with China, and will make concerted efforts with China to vigorously push forward mutually beneficial economic and social cooperation between the two countries.

Tarlev recalled his visit to China in 2001, and remarked that, even at that time, he was deeply impressed by the great achievements China had made since it adopted the policy of reform and opening-up to the outside world.

Moldova is the second leg of Wu's four-nation tour after Romania, which will also take him to Greece and Russia.

(Xinhua News Agency May 22, 2006)