Jia Qinglin says to firmly support European integration

China has high regard for the European Union (EU) and firmly supports Europe's bid to build an integrated community, China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin said here Tuesday.

Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), made the remarks during a meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi.

The China-Italy relationship has witnessed remarkable progress in recent years and the two countries, both at a new stage of socio-economic development, also share great potential in bilateral cooperation, Jia said.

The two sides should consolidate their political mutual trust, expand pragmatic cooperation and push forward their ties in the spirit of mutual respect, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, Jia said.

China is confident that the EU, faced with the grim challenge of the eurozone debt crisis, has enough wisdom to overcome its difficulties and resume growth and vigor, Jia said.

He also expressed the hope that Italy, as an important EU member, could contribute more to the sound and healthy development of EU-China relations.

For his part, Terzi said Italy and China have strengthened practical cooperation in various fields and have achieved great results.

Italy attaches great importance to its ties with China and is willing to keep the momentum of high-level exchanges, Terzi said, adding that his country will do more to promote bilateral trade and investment cooperation and also to enhance exchanges between students of the two countries.

The Italian side will also continue to play a positive role in promoting EU-China relationship, Terzi said.

Jia arrived here Tuesday afternoon for an official goodwill visit to Italy, the first leg of his three-nation tour which will also take him to Costa Rica and Argentina.