A reception was held here Thursday to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Micronesia.

Micronesia is an Oceanic sub-region which consists of hundreds of small islands, the most well known of which are Palau, Guam, Kiribati, and the Marshalls.

There had been comprehensive and rapid development of bilateral relations between China and the region over the past 20 years, including frequent high-level visits, deepening mutual political trust and practical cooperation, said Li Jianping, vice chairperson of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC).

In recent years, China-Micronesia trade has maintained stable and rapid growth. Figures released by China's General Administration of Customs showed trade in the January-April period of this year had reached 2.08 million U.S. dollars, up 111.5 percent year on year.

(Xinhua News Agency September 10, 2009)