China attaches great importance in relations with Finland and will work together with Finland to promote the friendly cooperation in all fields, a visiting senior Chinese official said here on Friday.

Liu Qi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks during a meeting with Finnish parliament speaker Paavo Tapio Lipponen.

Lipponen spoke highly of the rapid and sound development of Finnish-Chinese relations in various fields.   

China has made remarkable economic achievements over recent years, and is playing an increasingly important role in the development of the world economy, said Lipponen, also chairman of Finnish Social Democratic Party (SDP).

He also expressed his belief that the 2008 Olympic Games to be held in the Chinese capital city of Beijing will be a great success, saying that the city's pre-Olympic preparations have been very solid.

Both sides expressed their satisfaction with the smooth development of relations between the SDP and CPC.

Liu, also secretary of the Beijing municipal CPC committee, briefed Lipponen on China's domestic economic development and the preparations for the 2008 Olympic Games.

Liu arrived here on Thursday for a working visit at the invitation of the Helsinki municipal government.

(Xinhua News Agency  August 7, 2004)