China encourages domestic enterprises to invest in Mali businesses in order to expand cooperation between the two countries, said Premier Wen Jiabao Thursday.

Wen made the remark during a meeting with visiting Malian President Amadou Toumany Toure, who is here on a five-day state visit to China at the invitation of President Hu Jintao.

Wen said China and Mali have traditionally enjoy a friendly relationship. Ever since their forging of diplomatic ties in 1960, China and Mali have shown mutual trust and support in politics and maintained friendly exchanges at various levels. They have cooperated to the benefit of both countries in economy, culture, education, public health and military fields and kept in close consultation on international affairs.

The Chinese government values its relationship with Mali and is willing to help Mali within capacity for its economic development, Wen said. He believed that the Sino-Malian bilateral ties will reach a new high with the two sides' joint efforts.

Toure said during the past 44 years, the friendship and cooperation between the people of the two countries have been continued to deepen.

The Malian people will remember the support and help provided by the Chinese people, especially by the Chinese medical teams, Toure said. The Malian government adheres to the one-China policy and supports the great cause of China's reunification.

Toure said the Malian side welcomed Chinese enterprises joining Mali's economic construction, and is ready to prompt Mali-China friendly cooperation to have more vitality and make more achievements to the benefit of the people of both countries.

Toure and his entourage, including some ministers from the Malian cabinet in charge of foreign affairs, agriculture, commerce, education and investment, arrived here Thursday afternoon.

Besides Beijing, Toure will travel to the city of Shanghai in east China and Guangdong province in south China. This is his first Chinese tour since he assumed presidency in 2002.