Chinese Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan met Monday with Mitsubishi Heavy President Takashi Nishioka and his party, encouraging the heavy-industry manufacturer to increase its cooperation with Chinese enterprises.

Nishioka briefed Zeng on the recent development of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and its up-to-date business presence in China.

He acknowledged that China's fast economic progress has contributed a lot to the recovery of Japanese economy.

"Mitsubishi Heavy would like to expand its cooperation with Chinese enterprises and actively involve itself in China's economic development through bidding and fair competition. We are also glad to give our bits in helping improve the Sino-Japanese relations," he said.

Calling Mitsubishi a "pioneer" of Japan's heavy industry well equipped with world-leading production technology, Zeng appreciated the company's efforts in seeking cooperation with Chinese enterprises in sectors such as transportation, energy and heavy industry.

He said China and Japan are close neighbors separated only a strip of water and enjoy a long-standing history of friendly exchanges. Since the normalization of relations between the two countries in 1972, bilateral cooperation has been going on smoothly in various sectors.

The new administration of China headed by President Hu Jintao has attached great importance to Sino-Japanese relations and would like to deepen bilateral cooperation based upon the principle of equality and mutual benefits, he noted.

Nishioka and his party are visiting China at the invitation of the Chinese State Development and Reform Commission.