President Hu Jintao and Turkmen President Saparmurad Niyazov met in Moscow Sunday and both leaders agreed to further expand trade and economic cooperation.  

Hu and Niyazov arrived in Moscow Sunday for attending festival events of the 60th anniversary of the victory of Russia's Great Patriotic War on May 9.

Hu said China attaches great importance to the development of friendly relations with Turkmenistan, adding that China views Turkmenistan as an important partner in Central Asian region.

Hu said China, as always, supports Turkmenistan's open policy and its neutral policy stance. He expressed hope that with joint efforts made by the two countries, bilateral relations will be reaching a much higher stage.

For his part, Niyazov said his country values its relations with China, stressing that its one-China policy will remain unchanged.

Niyazov expressed satisfaction with the fruitful results of the bilateral cooperation in the fields of politics, economy and culture, saying his country is willing to learn useful experience from China.

He said the two countries have successful cooperation in the areas of textile and telecommunications and this kind of cooperation really benefits his country.

Niyazov said Turkmenistan's rich natural resources provide good opportunity for the future cooperation between the two countries.

Hu said China is encouraging its enterprises to strengthen cooperation with Turkmenistan's counterparts in exploration of gas and oil reserves in the Central Asian country.

(Xinhua News Agency May 9, 2005)