Austrian President Heinz Fischer on Monday met with a visiting Chinese press delegation, exchanging views on the friendly relationship between the two countries.

 

Against the backdrop of the "'Year of China' in Austria and the 35 anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties between Austria and China in 2006, the visit of a Chinese press delegation is of "special significance," said Fischer, applauding the progress made in the exchanges between the two countries in politics, economy and culture in past decades.

 

Austria and China have the same, or similar, positions on many important international issues, and both support the resolution of conflicts through diplomatic channels, which lays a firm foundation for the further development of the friendly relations, he said.

 

Wu Zhilin, head of the delegation and deputy editor-in-chief of the Chinese newspaper Wen Hui, said the successful visit of Chinese delegation to Austria would advance media exchanges between the two countries and contribute to the further growth of bilateral friendly ties.

 

The Chinese press delegation, on the invitation of the Austrian federal press service, arrived in Vienna on a seven-day visit on December 6.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 12, 2006)