China's National People's Congress (NPC) will further cooperation with the Portuguese parliament to further improve the relations between the two countries, said Chinese top legislator Wu Bangguo in Beijing Thursday.

Wu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, made the remarks at his meeting with visiting Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio.

Even though the two countries have different social systems and cultural and historical background, Wu said, China's NPC and the Portuguese parliament both play important roles in their own country's political life and bear the responsibility of promoting democracy and legal system construction.

Wu said Sino-Portuguese relations have developed steadily thanks to the efforts paid by both and the bilateral cooperation in all fields is fruitful. The settlement of the Macao issue demonstrates Sino-Portuguese relations have been ushered in a new phase, he said.

He noted that over the past five years, the principles of "one country, two systems", "Macao people governing Macao", and high-level autonomy have been fully implemented in the Macao Special Administration Region. And China and Portugal should further expand the economic and trade cooperation while enhancing the political relations.

Sampaio said Portugal and China have taken the bilateral relations from the strategic height. After noting that the two countries have already had good political relations, Sampaio said it is necessary to enhance cooperation on trade and other fields between the two countries.

He said Portugal attaches importance to China's role in the international affairs, and will continue to adhere to the one-China policy.

Portugal is willing to push forward the exchanges of the legislatures between the two countries, he added.

(Xinhua News Agency January 14, 2005)