Chinese senior officials met with visiting Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Ali Aboul Gheit Thursday, and the two sides expressed the hope to enhance relationship and cooperation.

"Egypt is China's important partner in developing countries," said Vice President Xi Jinping, who gave highly remarks on the cooperation the two countries conducted in such fields as politics, economy and culture, as well as the China-Africa Cooperation Forum and cooperation forum between China and Arab countries.

He said China paid highly attention to the relations with Egypt, and hoped to maintain the high-level exchanges between the two countries, strengthen bilateral cooperation on international and regional issues, increase trade and economic cooperation, and jointly maintain common interest of the developing countries.

Gheit said Egypt highly values relations with China and will continue to carry out all-round cooperation so as to promote the Sino-Egyptian strategic relationship of cooperation.

In talks with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi, Gheit called on the two countries to further increase coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs.

Yang echoed him as saying that China will make closer its coordination with Egypt in this regard and strengthen the strategic cooperation mechanism between the two countries.

Yang also vowed to jointly hold successfully the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum scheduled in Egypt in next year.

The two ministers also exchanged views on development of the cooperation forum between China and Arab countries, and some international and regional issues of common concern.

Gheit started his China visit from Wednesday at invitation of Yang.

(Xinhua News Agency November 6, 2008)