China and Algeria will further enhance exchange and co-operation between the two parliamentary organs following the establishment Friday of their respective bilateral friendship groups.
Li Peng, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) lauded the China NPC Sino-Algerian Friendship Group as "an important approach for promoting exchange and co-operation between the Chinese NPC and the National Assembly of Algeria.''
Abdelkader Bensalah, the president of the National Assembly of Algeria, responded by stressing the groups should play an active role in the promotion of exchange and co-operation between the two congresses and subordinate departments.
The exchange of visits of congress officials will continue and the subordinate departments should also strengthen co-ordination and collaboration on regional and international affairs, Li proposed when meeting Bensalah.
Both of them agreed such enhanced co-operation will give fresh impetus to the friendly collaboration in all fields between China and Algeria.
On the issue of political multi-polarity and economic globalization, Li said they were irreversible trends of the contemporary world.
Li said China regarded global multi-polarity as an important guarantee to world peace and development.
China also supports economic globalization, he said, adding the key was how to deal with the benefits and disadvantages brought about by it.
Li said that China and Algeria have been collaborating closely in the international arena and supporting each other in the unremitting endeavor to safeguard the rights of developing countries and establish a new political and economic world order.
Bensalah said Algeria and China experienced a similar history of fighting against colonial control for national independence. He reaffirmed Algeria's adherence to the one-China principle and support for China's reunification.
Li Peng also met Friday with Algerian Prime Minister Ali Benflis.
The economies of the two countries are complementary and there is still great potential in Sino-Algerian economic and trade co-operation. China would like to extend economic co-operation with Algeria, said Li.
Both nations have carried out fruitful co-operation in all fields, and these have been based on the principle of "equality and mutual benefits'' without any appended political conditions, he added.
Benflis spoke highly of the Chinese ventures in Algeria which have earned great respect and popularity in the country.
He believed Chinese enterprises using advanced technology would develop quickly in Algeria.
(China Daily November 3, 2001)
