RIYADH, Jan. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese Ambassador in Riyadh Wu Chunhua has highly evaluated the significance of Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz's visit to China, saying it will surely push the Sino-Saudi cooperation to a new level.

    It is King Abdullah's first official visit to another country since he succeeded to the throne last year, Wu said in a recent interview with Xinhua, adding Abdullah also became the first Saudiking to visit China since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1990.

    King Abdullah arrived in Beijing on Sunday, kicking off his three-day state visit to China as guest of President Hu Jintao.

    During his stay in Beijing, Chinese President Hu, top legislator Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao will meet or hold talks with him respectively for an exchange of views on such issues as the further expansion of bilateral cooperation in energy,economic and trade areas.

    The two sides are expected to sign a package of accords on economic and technical cooperation.

    Thanks to joint efforts, the two countries' friendly relations developed rapidly and have reached their best time so far, the Chinese ambassador said.

    In the political field, China and Saudi Arabia have no fundamental conflicts but reciprocal cooperation and the common will to further develop the cooperative relations, Wu said.

    Holding identical or similar views on many international and regional issues, such as on Iraq, both sides make close consultations and coordination on these issues, and support each other on the issues of human rights and the war on terror, the ambassador added.

    Economically, the two countries are strongly supplementary, having a broad space for boosting trade. China has become Saudi Arabia's fourth largest importer and the fifth largest exporter, while Saudi Arabia has become China's tenth largest importer and the biggest oil supplier.

    In addition to oil trade, both countries have also begun mutual investment in the energy sector, and such cooperation has taken ona good momentum.

    The Chinese ambassador said China is willing to join hands with Saudi Arabia to strengthen friendship and extend cooperation. He believes that the prospects of bilateral ties will be brighter in the future. Enditem