The strategic partnership between Canada and China, under concerted efforts by both sides, would be pushed further forward, a senior visiting Chinese official said on Monday.

 

Cai Wu, director of the Information Office of China's State Council, made the remarks when delivering a speech at Canada's Parliamentary Press Gallery in Ottawa.

 

In retrospect to the past 35 years of bilateral diplomatic ties, Cai spoke of the rapid growth in exchanges and cooperation between Canada and China in fields such as politics, economy, trade, education and culture, as well as fruitful bilateral cooperation on major international and regional issues.

 

"Deepening and enriching the China-Canada relationship serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples and contributes to the prosperity and development of the Asia-Pacific region and the world as a whole," he said.

 

He told dozens of Canadian politicians and media representatives that since the policies of reform and opening-up had been introduced at the end of the 1970s, China had successfully embarked on a road of peaceful development compatible with its national conditions and characteristics of the times.

 

"China persists in its pursuit of harmony and development internally while pursuing peace and development externally," he said.

 

The two aspects, closely linked and organically united, were an integrated whole, and would help to build a harmonious world of sustained peace and common prosperity, he added.

 

China's GDP had increased from around US$216.5 billion in 1978 to US$2,230 billion in 2005 at an average growth rate of 9.6 percent per year, he said, adding that the country's per-capita GDP had risen from US$226 to US$1,700 in the period.

 

However, he said China's economic achievements should not be overestimated.

 

China, with a population of 1.3 billion, had a weak economic foundation and unbalanced development, and remained the largest developing country in the world, he said.

 

"As our leaders have repeatedly said, any small, individual problem multiplied by 1.3 billion becomes a big, big problem. And any considerable amount of financial and material resources divided by 1.3 billion becomes a very low per capita level," He said.

 

Canada-China relations have witnessed a sound development in recent years. Canada was among the first Western nations to establish diplomatic ties with China in the 1970s.

 

According to Chinese statistics, two-way trade has increased by more than 100 times from US$150 million in 1970 to US$19.17 billion in 2005. China has become the second largest trading partner of Canada, only after the United States. Meanwhile, Canada is China's 10th largest trading partner.

 

In September 2006, during Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Canada, the leaders of the two countries agreed to upgrade the bilateral relationship to the strategic partnership.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 24, 2006)