Egypt and China pledged to strengthen traditional friendship and enhance their strategic cooperation partnership on Sunday.

In a meeting with a Chinese delegation headed by Wang Gang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said his country thanked China for its long and unswerving support for the just cause of the Arab people.

He said Egypt treasured the traditional friendship with China and is willing to exert efforts for further development of Egypt-China ties.

Wang conveyed to Mubarak the greetings from Chinese President Hu Jintao.

He said equal treatment, mutual support and close cooperation have always been featuring both the just causes of maintaining national independence and state sovereignty and the great road of national construction and economic development since the two sides established diplomatic ties.

Wang, also vice chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, the country's top political advisory body, added that the relations between China and Egypt can be seen as a good example for the South-South cooperation.

China and Egypt established strategic cooperation partnership in 1999. Bilateral trade reached around six billion U.S. dollars in 2009.

Wang said China hopes to grasp the opportunity and jointly work with Egypt to consolidate their traditional friendship, expand practical cooperation and enhance the strategic cooperation partnership.

The Chinese delegation arrived in Cairo on Saturday for a visit.