Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping arrived in Sanaa on Tuesday afternoon for an official visit to Yemen, the last leg of his five-nation Asia tour.

During the two-day visit, Xi will meet with Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and hold talks with Vice President Abdal-Rab Mansur Al-Hadii. The two sides will exchange views on bilateral ties and issues of common interest.

In a statement released at the airport, Xi said China and Yemen are partners of all-round cooperation.

Since the two countries established diplomatic links in 1956, they have kept enhancing political trust, advancing trade and economic cooperation and conducting ever closer cultural exchanges.

He said China places importance on relations with Yemen and is ready to work with Yemen to consolidate traditional friendship and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation.

Xi expressed the belief that his visit will further enhance friendship between the two countries and the two peoples, and help advance bilateral relations.

The Chinese leader arrived?in Sanaa?from Doha after wrapping up a visit to Qatar. He has traveled to?North Korea, Mongolia and Saudi Arabia.

(Xinhua News Agency June 25, 2008)