BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Wu Bangguo starts an official goodwill visit to Austria on Friday.

    The following are some basic facts about China-Austria relations.

    China and Austria established formal diplomatic relations in May 1971. During the 1990s, bilateral relations experienced sound development. In April 1993, Austria's then prime minister Franz Vranitzky visited China.

    In September 1995, Austria's then president Thomas Klestil visited China.

    In September 1996, the two governments signed a new agreement for cooperation in the fields of economy, industry, techniques, crafts, and technology.

    In March 1999, China's then President Jiang Zemin paid a state visit to Austria, the first visit by the Chinese head of state to Austria.

    In May 2001, Klestil paid his second visit to China.

    In November 2001, the two governments signed an agreement on cultural cooperation.

    In April 2007, China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin met in Beijing with a delegation of the Austrian parliament's Federal Council headed by the council's vice president Anna Elisabeth Haselbach.

    In April 2009, Austrian Federal Council President Harald Reisenberger visited China and met with Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Both sides agreed to step up parliamentary exchanges between China and Austria and promote bilateral ties.

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