Jia Qinglin (R), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), shakes hands with Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader in Zagreb, Croatia, May 14, 2008.  (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

ZAGREB, May 14 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin met respectively here Wednesday with Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader and Luka Bebic, speaker of the Assembly of Croatia.

Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), is in Zagreb for an official visit to Croatia.

During his meeting with Sanader, Jia said that bilateral relations have developed well since China and Croatia established diplomatic relations 16 years ago.

He said the China-Croatia relations have entered a new era since the two countries forged an all-round cooperative partnership in 2005. China and Croatia have seen increasing high-level contacts, fruitful cooperation in all fields, mutual understanding and support on issues concerning each other's basic interests and close coordination and cooperation on international affairs.

Jia said China is ready to join hands with Croatia to further strengthen political dialogue, promote practical and mutually beneficial cooperation in such fields as trade, economy, culture, science, technology and tourism.

He expressed willingness to push forward the long-term and in-depth development of bilateral ties.

In recent years, China and Croatia have witnessed a rapid growth of trade and economic cooperation, with trade volume growing at an annual rate of nearly 70 percent in the past five years, Jia said.

Based on sound political relations and guaranteed by complete bilateral mechanism, trade and economic cooperation between China and Croatia have a huge potential and broad prospects, Jia said.

He said the two countries should encourage and support the cooperation between their small- and medium-sized companies, expand investment and promote balance in trade growth.

Sanader spoke highly of the development of the Croatia-China relations. He said the people of Croatia and China share a long-standing friendship. The two countries have maintained sincere and friendly contacts and achieved a smooth development of bilateral relations.

He said Croatia firmly adheres to the one-China policy and supports China in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Croatia also highly appreciates the constructive role that China plays in international affairs, he said.

Sanader expressed willingness to promote trade and economic cooperation between Croatia and China, strengthen bilateral exchanges in such fields as culture, education, science and technology and step up direct contacts and cooperation between companies of the two countries.

Sanader said Croatia expects to carry out close coordination and cooperation with China on international affairs.

After the meeting, Jia and Sanader attended the signing ceremony of agreements between the two governments on economic and cultural cooperation.

During his meeting with Luka Bebic, speaker of the Assembly of Croatia, Jia said the peoples of China and of Croatia have developed profound friendship since the two countries established diplomatic links. They respect and treat each other as equals.

He said reinforcing and developing the all-round cooperative partnership between China and Croatia is in the fundamental interests of the two countries and their people.

Jia said China attaches great importance to its relations with Croatia and is ready to further strengthen mutual political trust, substantially advance practical cooperation and usher in a new erain China-Croatia friendship.

Jia said the CPPCC is ready to further friendly contacts with the parliament of Croatia by carrying out cooperation on various levels and through different channels.

He hoped that the two sides would learn from each other's experience so as to make a greater contribution to the development of bilateral ties.

Bebic said Croatia admires the great achievements that China made in development.

He expressed the wish to strengthen contacts between the political parties of the Croatian parliament and the CPPCC.

He said the two sides should push forward economic, cultural, scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation on local levels so as to promote the development of an all-round cooperative partnership.

Bebic made positive comment on the great efforts that the Chinese government and people made to prepare for the Beijing Olympic Games. He expressed the belief that the Olympic Games will be a success.

Both Sanader and Bebic expressed deep grief and heart-felt condolences over the great loss of lives and property caused by severe earthquakes in Sichuan province in southwest China.

They expressed the belief that the people of China will be able to overcome difficulties and the impact of natural disasters.

Jia also attended the China-Croatia Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum held in Zagreb Wednesday and made a speech at the forum.

Croatia is the last leg of Jia's four-nation European trip, which has taken him to Romania, Hungary and Slovenia. Jia is to conclude his visit later Wednesday and fly back home.