The National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, will promote exchanges with its Greek counterpart, said NPC Standing Committee Chairman Wu Bangguo in Beijing Friday.

 

Wu made the remarks in a meeting with visiting Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis who is here on an official visit as guest of Premier Wen Jiabao.

 

Wu said the NPC firmly supports the development of friendly relations with Greece and hopes that both sides make joint efforts to enhance the overall and in-depth development of bilateral relations.

 

He outlined frequent bilateral contacts at various levels and the increasing mutual understanding and trust in recent years.

 

He said the two countries share identical or similar views on many major international and regional issues with sound cooperation in international affairs.

 

Bilateral exchanges and cooperation in culture, education, science and technology have witnessed rapid development, and the Olympic Games and tourism have become new areas for bilateral cooperation, Wu said.

 

He expressed the hope that the two countries would explore new ways for cooperation, especially in shipping, ship-building, port construction and tourism.

 

Karamanlis said bilateral relations have progressed smoothly since the two countries forged diplomatic ties in 1972 and the two countries have conducted fruitful cooperation in many fields.

 

He said Greece attaches importance to relations with China and the joint statement signed Thursday is of great significance to the future development of bilateral ties.

 

The Greek side will work with the Chinese side to push for new achievements in bilateral relations, he said.

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 21, 2006)