China values its ties with Turkey and will continue to make efforts to push forward the cooperation between the two nations as well as the two parliaments, top legislator Wu Bangguo said.

Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), made the remarks during his meeting with visiting Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Turkey Koksal Toptan in Beijing on Monday afternoon.

He applauded the recent growth of the bilateral relations, saying that China and Turkey, both as developing nations, were facing the same tasks of boosting the national economy and promoting the people's living standard.

China would cooperate with Turkey to further explore the potential and expand the fields of the bilateral cooperation, Wu noted.

On cooperation between the two parliaments, Wu said the NPC would continue to promote the bilateral high-level exchange, intensify the cooperation among various special commissions and friendly groups and strengthen the bilateral coordination in the regional and international parliamentary organizations.

Toptan spoke highly of the China's economic development, stressing Turkey attached great importance to the relation and welcomed Chinese enterprises to promote their business in his country.

He also expressed his appreciation to China's preparatory work of the forthcoming Olympics, noting that he and his country supported the sports spectacular.

Toptan is on an official goodwill visit to China from April 6 to 11.

(Xinhua News Agency April 8, 2008)