China's top political adviser Jia Qinglin met?in?Lima?Monday with Peruvian President Alan Garcia, with both sides expressing their wish to elevate bilateral ties to a higher stage.

Jia, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, hailed the strategic partnership between China and Peru which was announced last year after a successful exchange of high level visits.

In April this year, the China-Peru Free Trade Agreement was signed, offering a brand new opportunity to enhance cooperation in economy and trade, Jia said.

Jia noted that currently bilateral ties are at their best, and proposed that both sides make further efforts in three aspects to ensure continued and steady development of bilateral ties:

-- to make more vigorous efforts to take care of each other's core interests and deepen political mutual trust;

-- to push forward the pragmatic collaboration. The Chinese government encourages Chinese enterprises to invest and broaden cooperation in Peru and welcomes Peruvian companies to explore the Chinese market;

-- to strengthen exchange and cooperation in culture, education, science and technology, tourism and other fields so as to enhance mutual understanding between the two peoples, Jia said.

Garcia, for his part, said Peru has given high priority to its ties with China among its foreign relations. Peru highly appreciates China's development and believes the development path China has taken is the right one that will benefit its people.

Garcia said that without China's role in world economy, the ongoing global crisis would have gone much worse.

He said Peru hopes to intensify all-round cooperation with its Asian partner to share China's experience of development and broaden cooperation to take bilateral ties to a higher level.

Jia and Garcia witnessed the signing ceremony of several cooperation documents shortly after the Peruvian government conferred on Jia a Grand Cross of the Sun, the country's highest award to commend notable civil and military merit.

CPPCC Vice Chairman Qian Yunlu and Chinese Ambassador to Peru Zhao Wuyi also attended the ceremony.

Jia arrived?in Lima?Sunday for an official good-will visit at the invitation of the government of Peru. He left Lima for Quito later on Monday to pay a visit to Ecuador, part of his four-state trip, which has already taken him to the Philippines and also includes Brazil.