Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong (R) shakes hands with President of the University of Chicago Robert Zimmer during their meeting in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 20, 2013. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)

BEIJING, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) - Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong met with President of University of Chicago Robert Zimmer here on Friday.

Liu praised University of Chicago for its long-standing cooperation with China' s colleges and universities, and hoped for a more active role for the University in advancing bilateral people-to-people exchanges and friendship.

Liu said cultural exchanges play an important role in building the new model of major country relations between China and the United States.