Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and his Algerian counterpart, Abdelaziz Belkhadem, exchanged congratulatory messages on Thursday to mark the 45th anniversary of the establishment of full diplomatic relations between the two countries. 

Highlighting the progress made in bilateral cooperation in various fields since the two sides set up diplomatic ties on December 20, 1958, Li said China is ready to take the anniversary as a new starting point to work together with Algeria for a more dynamic relationship in the new century.

Belkhadem, for his part, said Algeria is proud of and satisfied with the solid, mutually beneficial, and future-oriented relations with China.

Algeria will make every effort to promote such ties to a new level, he said. 

(Xinhua News Agency December 19, 2003)