Chinese president meets Italian parliament leaders on relations_English

ROME, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao met here Monday with the leaders of both houses of the Italian parliament, and the two sides pledged efforts to boost exchanges and cooperation between the two countries' legislatures.

During separate meetings with Renato Schifani, president of the Italian Senate, and Gianfranco Fini, president of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Hu said the exchange between the legislative bodies of the two countries is an important component of the China-Italy all-around strategic partnership.

A mechanism for regular exchanges has been established between The Italian Senate and the National People's Congress of China, he said, expressing the hope that the two sides would set the mechanism in motion soon.

Hu said China attaches great importance to its ties with Italy, adding that amid the spreading international financial crisis, enhancing friendly cooperation between the two countries not only serves the interests of both sides, but is also conducive to the stable development of China-EU relations.

Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao met here Monday with the leaders of both houses of the Italian parliament, and the two sides pledged efforts to boost exchanges and cooperation between the two countries' legislatures.

Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) meets with Italian Chamber of Deputies President Gianfranco Fini in Rome, capital of Italy, July 6, 2009. (Xinhua/Fan Rujun)
Photo Gallery>>>

The Chinese president expressed the belief that the Italian parliament would make continued efforts to promote ties with China and make contributions to the long-term, healthy and stable development of the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Schifani said bilateral relations have been deepening since the two countries established the all-around strategic partnership in 2004.

He expressed the hope that the two countries would strengthen cooperation on such issues as reforms of the United Nations and the international financial system, climate change and the fight against terrorism.

Fini said Italy and China share identical or similar views on culture and many other areas.

The two countries' legislatures are willing to contribute to the development of bilateral relations, he added.

Hu arrived in Rome on Sunday for a state visit.

He will also attend the outreach session of the Group of Eight (G8) summit scheduled for Thursday in the central Italian city of L'Aquila.

This will be the sixth time that the Chinese president has attended the G8 outreach session. The previous one took place in the northern Japanese resort of Toyako last July.

The G8, an informal forum of leading industrialized nations, groups Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Japan, the United States, Canada and Russia.

Special Report: President Hu attends G8 - emerging economies dialogue