China's top legislator meets Zimbabwean vice president

China's top legislator Wu Bangguo met with Zimbabwean Vice President Joseph Msika on Thursday, exchanging views on further developing friendly bilateral relations.

During the meeting, Wu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, spoke highly of Msika's outstanding contribution to Sino-Zimbabwean cooperation.

Wu arrived here Monday on an official goodwill visit to Zimbabwe. During the past three days, he has held official talks with President Robert Mugabe and National Assembly Speaker Emmerson Mnangagwa respectively.

He told the vice president his visit is short, but very fruitful.

Wu said the visit gave new impetus to high level contacts between the two countries, and enhanced political mutual trust.

The visit also pushed forward bilateral economic cooperation and trade with a series of newly signed agreements between the two sides, and explored ways to boost such friendly cooperation in various sectors, he said.

The visit strengthened links between the two parliaments, improved understanding of each other's political and economic systems and the friendship between the two peoples.

Through the visit, both sides exchanged views and coordinated their positions on Sino-African relations, international situations and other issues of common concern, and the two sides reached wide range of common understanding.

Wu expressed his satisfaction with the achievements of his visit and thanked the Zimbabwean leaders and people for their hospitality.

In his response, Msika said Wu's visit was very successful, and the sincere and warm welcome given to the chairman embodied the deep friendship between the two countries.

He said Zimbabwe cherishes the support of the Chinese leaders and people in this important stage for Zimbabwe's development, and the just signed agreements will boost Zimbabwe's economic recovery and development.

After the meeting, accompanied by Msika and Mnangagwa, Wu visited the Kutsaga Research Station in the suburb of Harare, a well-known tobacco research center.

Zimbabwe is the second leg of Wu's four-nation African tour, which has taken him to Kenya and will take him to Zambia and Nigeria.