Top Chinese legislator meets Cote d'Ivoire speaker

Zhang Dejiang (R), chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, shakes hands with Cote d'Ivoire's parliament speaker Guillaume Soro during their meeting in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 18, 2013. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)

Top Chinese legislator Zhang Dejiang on Monday held talks with visiting Cote d'Ivoire's parliamentary speaker Guillaume Soro.

Zhang, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, reviewed the smooth growth of China-Cote d'Ivoire relations since the two countries forged diplomatic ties in 1983, citing increasing trade and economic collaboration and robust exchanges in cultural and regional cooperation.

Zhang said China places great importance on developing bilateral ties and is a reliable and sincere friend of Cote d'Iviore.

As China and Cote d'Iviore are committed to realizing their respective development blueprint, China would like to work with Cote d'Iviore to follow the mutual benefit principle, deepen trade and economic cooperation, participate in Cote d'Iviore's economic development and seek common development.

On China-Africa relations, Zhang said China and Africa share weal and woe, stressing it is an important cornerstone and a long-term strategic choice of China's foreign policy to strengthen cooperation with African countries.

Zhang said China would like to work with Cote d'Ivoire to carry out the important consensus reached during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Africa in March and seek a deeper growth of China-Africa strategic partnership.

On parliamentary ties, Zhang said the NPC would like to increase exchanges with the parliament of Cote d'Ivoire and share more experience on legislature, supervision and state governance, making parliamentary cooperation a positive force in deepening China-Cote d'Ivoire relations.

Soro, who is on a week-long visit to China, said China's development achievements are admirable and China's principle of equally treating other countries is respectable.

He said Cote d'Ivoire regards China as a good brother and friend, adheres to the one-China policy and would like to step up parliamentary exchanges with China and learn China's experience on developing economy and improving people's livelihood.