Chinese, Latvian presidents exchange congratulatory notes on anniversary of bilateral ties

BEIJING, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao on Monday exchanged congratulatory messages with his Latvian counterpart Andris Berzins on the 20th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations.

In his message, Hu said China and Latvia have actively conducted friendly contacts on the basis of mutual respect and equal treatment since they established diplomatic relations 20 years ago.

In the spirit of mutual benefit and common development, China stands ready to work with Latvia to promote practical cooperation in various areas and make fresh progress in the development of bilateral ties.

Berzins, for his part, said that with the advancement of political dialogues, the two nations have expanded cooperation in such areas as economy and trade, education and culture over the past 20 years.

With the growth of exchanges and cooperation, the potential for the development of bilateral ties will be fully exploited, said the Latvian president.

Also on Monday, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi also exchanged congratulatory notes with his Latvian counterpart Girts Valdis Kristovskis over the anniversary.