Chinese top legislator Wu Bangguo met in Beijing Tuesday with Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano, vowing to enhance exchange between the two countries' parliaments.

Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislative body, said that Sino-Albanian ties developed continuously and friendship enhanced since the two countries forged diplomatic ties 55 years ago.

In recent years, the friendship between the two peoples and the two sides' aspiration for mutual-beneficial cooperation remained unchanged amid deeply changed international and domestic situation, he said.

The China-Albania high-level exchange increased and cooperation in all fields witnessed sound momentum of development. The two sides have conducted positive cooperation in international issues and have no pendent issues between them, Wu said.

History has indicated that only if the two countries abide by the principles of mutual respect, equality, mutual beneficial and non-interference in each other's internal affairs, will the bilateral ties make progress smoothly and the cooperation be a win-win situation and serve the two peoples with substantial benefit, he said.

The National People's Congress was willing to promote cooperation with the Albanian parliament and contribute more to the development of bilateral ties, he said.

The sound relations between the two parliaments forged a firm base for Albania-China ties, Nano said.

Albania hopes to inherit and develop the traditional friendship, upgrade cooperation and make such cooperation more substantial, he said.

China's development served the good of Chinese people and was very important to world peace and development and to the region where Albanian was located and to the Albanian people as well.

The Albanian side spoke highly of China's positive role in the international arena, he said.
 
Nano arrived here on Monday for a seven-day official visit to China at the invitation of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

This is Nano's first visit to China as prime minister. Besides Beijing, he was also scheduled to visit Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province in northwest China, and Shanghai, financial and commercial hub in eastern China.

(Xinhua News Agency September 15, 2004)