Wu Bangguo (R, front), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, arrives in Geneva, Switzerland, July 18, 2010. Wu is scheduled to attend the third World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)
GENEVA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo arrived here on Sunday for the third World Conference of Speakers of Parliament after meeting Swiss leaders.
Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), will join parliamentary speakers of other countries and representatives of the United Nations to discuss inter-parliamentary cooperation at the conference, which starts Monday.
The broad theme for the conference is "parliaments in a world of crisis: securing global democratic accountability for the common good."
Wu will also meet parliamentary speakers as well as leaders of international organizations on the sidelines of the conference.
The top Chinese legislator arrived in Zurich on Friday for an official goodwill visit to Switzerland. He met Doris Leuthard, president of the Swiss Confederation on Sunday, and both sides agreed to expand bilateral cooperation.
China will work with Switzerland to advance bilateral ties, Wu told Leuthard.
While calling for cooperation in traditional sectors, the top Chinese legislator said there is great potential in cooperation between the two highly complementary economies, in sectors such as financial services, environmental protection, green economy and low-carbon technology.
Wu Bangguo (L, Front), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, meets with Doris Leuthard (R, Front), President of the Swiss Confederation, in Zurich, Switzerland, on July 18, 2010. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)
Leuthard said Switzerland regards China as an important partner and looks forward to carrying out the two-way cooperation in environmental protection, energy-saving and sustainable economic development.
They also discussed global issues such as the financial crisis and climate change.
On Saturday in Bern, Wu also met Pascale Bruderer, president of the National Council of Swiss Federal Assembly, and Erika Forster-Vannini, president of the Council of States of Swiss Federal Assembly.
The two sides agreed to have more exchanges at the parliamentary level, with the Swiss side saying they will vigorously push forward substantial cooperation with China in all areas.
Wu said in a written statement that there has been significant progress in bilateral ties in recent years, including the enhancement of mutual political trust, continuous growth of economic cooperation and expansion of people-to-people exchanges.
China looks forward to taking advantage of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-Swiss diplomatic relations to push forward the friendship between the two nations, he added.
Switzerland is the last leg of Wu's three-nation Europe tour after France and Serbia. He will leave Switzerland for China on Tuesday.
Wu Bangguo (C), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, meets with Pascale Bruderer (L), president of the National Council of the Swiss Federal Assembly, and Erika Forster-Vannini (R), president of the Council of States of the Swiss Federal Assembly, in Bern on July 17, 2010. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)