China would like to enhance political trust with Tunisia, a visiting senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) said on Monday.

Li Changchun, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks when he met with Tunisian President Dine Al Abidine Ben Ali.

Li said China and Tunisia have maintained long-term friendship, and their cooperation on politics, trade and culture have expanded, and the consultation on international and regional affairs strengthened over time.

China believes that the relationship with Tunisia would make new headway with the efforts of the two sides, Li said.

Ben Ali said Tunisia would take the chance to further the economic and trade relations with China. He praised for China's policy towards Africa, and supported China's measures to help Africa to achieve independent development.

He said Tunisia would strengthen the cooperation with China in the framework of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum as well as the Sino-Arab Cooperation Forum.

He also reiterated Tunisia's adherence to the one-China policy.

Li also met with Fouad Mebazaa, president of the National Assembly of Tunisia on Monday.

During their meeting, Li said China always holds that all nations, big or small, are equal. Both China and Tunis are facing the tasks of developing national economy and improving people's living standard, he added.

Li said China would like to enhance exchanges and communications with Tunisia on the level of parliaments and parties to achieve common prosperity, which also conforms to the fundamental interests of the two peoples and is conducive to world peace and stability.

Mebazaa said Tunisia supports the party and parliamentary exchanges with China and believes the Beijing Olympic Games would be a great success.

Li arrived in Tunis on Saturday afternoon from Morocco for an official visit. Tunisia is the fourth leg of Li's five-nation tour, which has taken him to Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco and will take him to Syria on Tuesday.

(Xinhua News Agency April 1, 2008)