Wu Bangguo (R3), Chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, is welcomed by the vice-chairman of the Romanian Chamber of Deputires Valer Dorneanu after Wu's arrival at an airport in Bucharest, capital of Romania, May 17, 2006. Wu Bangguo arrived here Wednesday afternoon to start his three-day official good-will visit to Romania. [Xinhua Photo]

Wu Bangguo (L), Chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, shakes hands with the vice-chairman of the Romanian Chamber of Deputires Valer Dorneanu after Wu's arrival at an airport in Bucharest, capital of Romania, May 17, 2006. [Xinhua Photo]

Wu Bangguo arrived in Bucharest Wednesday afternoon to start his three-day official good-well visit to Romania.

Wu, Chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), is here at the invitation of Romanian Senate President Nicolae Vacaroiu and President of Chamber of Deputies Bogdan Olteanu.

Friendship between China and Romania has a long history though the two countries are far away, Wu said in a written speech upon his arrival.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries 57 years ago, exchanges and cooperation expanded gradually in various fields, based on the principles of mutual respect and trust, mutual understanding and mutual support, he said.

The visit is the first of its kind by a Chinese NPC Chairman to Romania.

During his visit, Wu will meet and hold talks with Romanian leaders to exchange views on the development of bilateral relations and on regional and international issues of common concern.

Wu expressed his belief that his visit will be conducive to strengthening understanding and friendship between the two peoples, to promoting exchanges and cooperation between the two parliaments, and to pushing the full-fledged friendly and cooperative relations of the two countries to a new high in the new century.

Romania is the first leg of Wu's four-nation tour, which will also take him to Moldova, Greece and Russia, where he will also attend the meeting among parliament leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to be held in Moscow.

(Source: Xinhua News Agency)