OTTAWA, Sept. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao said here Thursday that China will work with Canada to seize the opportunity to expand bilateral cooperation so as to jointly create a better future for bilateral ties.

    Hu, who arrived in the Canadian capital Thursday morning on a state visit as guest of Canadian Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson, made the remarks at the welcoming ceremony held by Clarkson.

Chinese President Hu Jintao (L, front) earths up a lime tree at the invitation of planting a friendship tree from Canadian Governor General Adrienne Clarkson (2nd R) at Rideau Hall in Ottawa Sept. 8. (Xinhua)

    Hu reviewed the rapid growth of exchanges and cooperation in the past 35 years of bilateral diplomatic ties in politics, economy, trade, energy, science, technology, education and culture, as well as fruitful bilateral cooperation on major international and regional issues.

    He said the economies of the two countries are highly complementary and cherish vast potentials for reciprocal cooperation.

    To further bilateral relations also serve the requirements of the times and the aspiration of the two peoples, as the two countries are influential and shoulder major responsibilities for safeguarding world peace and promoting common development, said Hu.

    He expressed confidence that under the concerted efforts from both sides, the friendship between the two peoples and bilateral cooperation will continue yielding new and rich results.

    Clarkson also highlighted the flourishing bilateral relationship at the welcoming ceremony.

Chinese President Hu Jintao (2nd R) shakes hands with Canadian Governor General Adrienne Clarkson at Ridea Hall in the Canadian capital of Ottawa Sept. 8. (Xinhua)

    In their meeting after the ceremony, the two heads of state reviewed the friendship and cooperation between their countries in the past years.

    Hu told Clarkson that China attaches great importance to the friendly cooperation with Canada and his current visit is aimed at enhancing mutual trust and promoting cooperation so as to push bilateral partnership of all-round cooperation to a new level.

    This is the first visit to Canada by a Chinese head of state in eight years.

    In a written statement delivered at the airport upon arrival, Hu said that "deepening and enriching the China-Canada all-round partnership serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples and contributes to prosperity and development in the region and the world at large."

    Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said last month that the visit would "deepen bilateral cooperation in various fields and upgrade the all-round partnership of cooperation to a new level."

    Chinese statistics show that China-Canada trade volume last year reached 15.5 billion US dollars, a 55 percent increase over the previous year. In the first half of 2005, the figure was 9 billion US dollars.

    Hu is also scheduled to pay a state visit to Mexico and attend the UN summit scheduled for Sept.14-16 in New York. Enditem