Top Chinese legislator meets Austrian Federal Chancellor

China will work with Austria to push forward bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields, said top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguoin Beijing Thursday.

Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), made the remarks at a meeting with Austrian Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel who is here on a week-long official visit as guest of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

Referring to the sound development of bilateral relations and cooperation, Wu said the two countries boast great potentials for cooperation as their economies are highly complementary.

The trade volume between the two countries exceeded 3 billion euros (3.87 billion US dollars) in 2004.

He said it conforms to the common interests of both China and the European Union to strengthen China-EU relations and the Chinese side appreciates the Austrian government's positive

efforts for promoting China-EU relations, hoping that Austria will continue to play a constructive role in this regard.

He also said the NPC will further strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the Austrian parliament so as to promote the trust and friendship between the two countries and peoples.

Schuessel mentioned the continuous development of bilateral relations in recent years and the good cooperation in economy, trade and finance.

He said the Austrian side will strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China in such fields as trade, environmental protection, science, technology, agriculture and tourism.

On the Taiwan issue, Wu said it concerns China's core interests and the feeling of the 1.3 billion Chinese people, and the Chinese side appreciates Austria's adherence to the one-China policy.

He hoped that Austria will understand and support China's efforts for maintaining national sovereignty and territorial integrity and realizing national reunification.

Schuessel said the Austrian government will continue to abide by the one-China policy.

He said the Austrian side supports bilateral parliamentary exchanges and cooperation and will continue to play its role in promoting EU-China relations.

Schuessel will also head to south China's island province Hainan for the annual meeting of the Boao Forum for Asia and visit Shanghai and east China's Jiangsu Province.