Chinese vice president meets Norway FM

Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong met with Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Petersen Monday, vowing to further advance bilateral ties between the two countries.

"Generally, Sino-Norwegian ties have progressed smoothly since we forged diplomatic ties more than half a century ago," Zeng told Petersen at the Great Hall of the People. One of the first Western countries to do so, Norway recognized the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1954, about five years after PRC's establishment.

"Sino-Norwegian relations are developing in all sectors and our cooperation in economics, science and technology and culture keeps deepening," Zeng said, conveying his congratulations at the 100th anniversary of Norway's independence.

China appreciates the Norwegian government's adherence to the one-China policy, Zeng acknowledged. And his country will, along with Norway, exert more efforts to push forward the two countries' relations in a stable and sound manner.

Petersen said that Norway-China ties were currently developing soundly with an frequent exchange of high-level visits, soaring trade and fruitful cooperation in other fields such as science, technology and other spheres.

Norway will go on firmly adhering to the one-China policy and hopes to increase high-level visits and mutual political trust and stimulating cooperation in all fields so as to further increase its mutually beneficial, friendly and cooperative ties with China.

Petersen was here for a five-day official visit to China, which started Sunday as guest of his Chinese counterpart Li Zhaoxing.

Besides Beijing, Petersen is scheduled to travel to the economic and business hub of Shanghai in east China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR).