Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien expressed the hope in Beijing Sunday that China would consider Canada its privilege cooperative partnership in developing the western region.

Chretien, who arrived in Beijing Saturday for an official visit, attended a luncheon together with Minister Zeng Peiyan in charge of China's State Development Planning Commission and local officials from more than ten provinces and autonomous regions of western China.

Chretien said while proposing a toast that Canadian enterprises have already taken an active part in the development of western China through cooperative projects.

He said he himself was pleased to be here to jointly explore ways to further support the development goal of western China and to reaffirm and deepen the long-standing friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

He said that Canadian businesses enjoy expertise and technology in fields like mining, energy, transportation, telecommunication, agriculture and more, and this would fit the development priorities of China.

Zeng said in his toast speech that China's strategy of developing its western region, which has already got a good start, has aroused world attention. China would open up its western areas to the outside side to attract more foreign capital, technology and human resources for its development.

He expressed the belief that the development strategy would provide more opportunities for economic and technological cooperation between China and Canada, and Canada's rich experience in promoting a regionally balanced economic growth is well worth learning for China.

(Xinhua 02/11/2001)