Senior Chinese leader Jia Qinglin said in Boao, Hainan Province, Sunday that China adheres to the good-neighborly policy and will treat neighboring countries as partners, vowing to further promote the relationship with Nepal, which borders China by the Himalayas.

Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top advisory body, made the remarks when meeting with Nepalese King Gyanendra, who is attending the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) annual conference 2005 in this Chinese southernmost island province of Hainan.

"All the Chinese and Nepalese people enjoy their friendship," Jia said. "Despite the differences in each domestic situation, the two countries strictly adhere to the five principles of peaceful coexistence, treated each other equally, trusted and supported each other."

"The Sino-Nepalese ties maintained a momentum of constant and sound development and our two countries forged a model of good relations between nations with different social systems," he said. "The friendship is in line with the interests of both Chinese and Nepalese people and beneficial for regional peace and stability."

Taking the opportunity of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of full diplomatic ties between the two countries this year, China will join Nepal to inject new energy to China-Nepal good-neighborliness and mutual-beneficial cooperation, Jia said.

Gyanendra, who met with Chinese President Hu Jintao in Indonesia capital Jakarta on the sideline of a Asia-Africa summit on Friday and then came to this small coastal town Boao to attend the forum, said the high-level exchange will help promote the Nepalese-Chinese relations.

Expressing his appreciation of China's constant support, the King said Chinese people and government are trust-worth friends and Nepal will strictly abide by the one-China policy and support the anti-session law adopted by the Chinese National People's Congress in March.

After their meeting, the King and Jia visited a Buddhist temple in Boao where Nepal contributed an image of Buddha.

(Xinhua News Agency April 24, 2005)