Chile's Senate speaker Guido Girardi Lavin (R) meets with Wang Zhaoguo, vice chairman of China's Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), in Santiago, Chile, March 19, 2012. Wang led an NPC delegation to Chile for a three-day official visit that started on Saturday. (Xinhua/Ye Shuhong)
SANTIAGO, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Senior Chinese lawmaker Wang Zhaoguo discussed bilateral ties and other issues with Chile's Senate speaker Guido Girardi Lavin, and Patricio Melero Abaroa, speaker of the Chamber of Deputies.
In his Monday meeting with Melero, Wang, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), said although China and Chile are far apart in distance, their peoples enjoy a traditionally deep friendship.
Bilateral ties have achieved significant development, especially since China and Chile decided to establish an overall cooperative partnership in 2004 when Chinese President Hu Jintao visited Chile, Wang said.
Wang led an NPC delegation to Chile for a three-day official visit that started on Saturday.
Frequent high-level communication, closer economic and trade links, active exchanges in such fields as science and culture have brought real benefits to the two peoples, Wang said.
The senior Chinese legislator said he appreciated Chile's firm adherence to the one-China policy and was delighted to have seen the development of China-Chile ties.
Wang also said that parliamentary exchanges are important components of relations between the two countries. He said the NPC was willing to work with the Chilean Chamber of Deputies to help advance the overall cooperative partnership between the two countries and the friendship between the two peoples.
Melero said that Chile's firm adherence to the one-China policy and the devel
opment of the overall cooperative partnership with China were a consensus reached by the Chilean government, the parliament and various political parties.
Melero appreciated the sincere assistance extended by China when Chile faced difficult times, adding the Chilean parliament was looking forward to deepening friendly exchanges with the NPC and advancing the friendship between the two countries.
When meeting Girardi also on Monday, Wang said the NPC highly valued its friendly cooperation with the Chilean Senate.
He said the NPC was willing to strengthen communication and exchanges with the Chilean Senate in order to further enhance China-Chile ties and the friendship between the Chinese and Chilean peoples.
Girardi said Chile is China's old friend and firmly adheres to the one-China policy.
Girardi said that developing friendly relations with China was the common desire of all Chilean senators.
The Chilean Senate was willing to deepen its friendly exchanges with the NPC to discuss and cope with challenges together and advance economic, cultural and science cooperation between the two countries, Girardi said.
Chile was the first leg of Wang's ongoing three-Latin American nation visit, which would also take him to Brazil and Trinidad and Tobago.
Patricio Melero Abaroa (2nd R), Chile's speaker of the Chamber of Deputies meets with Wang Zhaoguo (2nd L), vice chairman of China's Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), in Santiago, Chile, March 19, 2012. Wang led an NPC delegation to Chile for a three-day official visit that started on Saturday. (Xinhua/Ye Shuhong)