Our all-round cooperation served the fundamental interests of both peoples and made significant contribution to regional and global peace and development, Hu said.

    Terming China and Saudi Arabia as good friends with mutual trust and trustworthy partners, Hu expressed the hope that the two countries will make continued and joint efforts to contribute to further development of mankind.

    Hu arrived in Riyadh Saturday morning for his first state visit to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz.

    During his three-day visit in Riyadh, Hu held talks with King Abdullah later Saturday. The two leaders exchanged views on bilateral relations international and regional issues of common concern and ways to strengthen the friendly cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia.

    Saudi Arabia is now China's largest trading partner in West Asia and North Africa. In 2005, trade volume between the two countries exceeded 16 billion U.S. dollars, 56 percent up compared with the previous year.

    In January, King Abdullah paid a visit to China, during which the two countries singed a number of cooperation documents.

    MIDDLE EAST PEACE, STABILITY

    In the address, the Chinese president said that a harmonious Middle East is in the long-term interest of the people of the region and the whole world at large, and peace and stability in the region is the common wish of the whole world.

    Hu said that peace and prosperity of the world could not come without the stability and development of the Middle East, a region of great influence to the world.

    After the Cold War, the Middle East region has been generally heading along a path of peace and stability, but has still faced with various challenges, with some hot issues long hanging without just and reasonable resolutions, new conflicts keeping emerging and factors of uncertainty and instability threatening regional peace and security remaining, Hu said.

    All these have kept the region far from fully tapping its potential for development, Hu said.

    To build a harmonious Middle East, long-term strenuous efforts could not be spared in the following aspects, Hu said.

    Firstly, all parties should strive to realize regional peace and stability through strengthening consultations and negotiations on an equal footing, which are the only feasible means to settle conflicts and disputes, Hu said.

    Secondly, mutual respect should be upheld. The spirit of inclusiveness must be upheld in handling differences among various civilizations in the region and jointly building a harmonious region where all civilizations coexist and accommodate each other.

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