China is ready to learn from Greece its experience of hosting the Olympic Games, and to enhance cooperation with Greece in this sphere, said China's top advisor Jia Qinglin on Friday in Beijing.

Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top advisory body, made the remarks at a meeting with visiting Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.

Jia briefed the Greek guests on China's preparatory work for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, and said that Greece is welcomed to take an active part in Beijing's facility building and market development for the Olympic Games.

Jia said China and Greece have enjoyed friendly relations for a long time, while the bilateral relations have witnessed sound development in recent years, with deep mutual trust and a strong momentum of exchanges and cooperation in economy, trade, culture, science, technology and tourism.

The joint statement issued on Thursday by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Karamanlis made clear the direction of the future development of China-Greece relations, and would help further promote mutual-beneficial cooperation in various fields.

The CPPCC will work with the Greek parliament to further increase exchanges and cooperation, in an effort to contribute to the friendship between the two countries and the two peoples, Jia said.

Karamanlis said Greece and China share a strong desire to further promote bilateral ties. During this China tour, he said, the two sides have cemented the existing sound cooperation and set the long-term target for the development of bilateral relations from a strategic point of view.

Greece would be happy to share its experience of hosting the Olympic Games with China, said Karamanlis.

Source: Xinhua