BEIJING, Feb. 17 (Xinhuanet) -- A senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official said here Tuesday that the CPC hopes to increase exchanges and cooperation with the London-based Socialist International (SI).

    Huang Ju, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice-premier of the State Council, made the remarks during his talks with an SI delegation led by its president, Antonio Guterres.

    Socialist International, founded in 1864, is the world's oldestand largest association of political parties, grouping democratic socialist, labor and social democratic parties from every continent.

    Huang Ju said the CPC attached great importance to and hoped tofurther strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the SI and its member parties.

    The guiding principle for exchanges and cooperation should be independence, complete equality, mutual respect and mutual non-inference in each other's internal affairs.

    The CPC also proposes to diversify the ways and means of exchanges, to keep extending and deepening the spheres and connotation, and to handle disagreements in the spirit of mutual respect, seeking common ground while reserving differences, frank dialogue and enhancing mutual understanding.

    Guterres said the SI followed with great interest the tremendous changes in China, and admired the unremitting efforts of the CPC in promoting economic growth and social development.

    He noted that a prosperous, united and strong China would servethe interests of the Chinese people, as well as peace, security and the balanced development of the world.

    The SI endorsed the proposals of the CPC in developing bilateral relations, and hoped to increase understanding, trust, common ground and cooperation through more exchanges, Guterres said. Enditem