NPC Chairman to Meet Slovakian Leadership

NPC Chairman Arrives in Slovakia

A delegation of Chinese legislators headed by National People's Congress Standing Committee Chairman Li Peng began a three-day visit to Slovakia to hold talks with President Rudolf Schuster, Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda and Parliament speaker Jozef Migas.

"I believe the visit will play an important role in pushing friendly co-operation between China and Slovakia,'' said Li.

China and Slovakia share interests in regional and global peace as well as people's prosperity, Li said in a written statement at the airport. The two countries have no conflicts concerning basic interests, Li said.

"I am glad to see that in recent years, China and Slovakia have made satisfactory progress in bilateral co-operation in various sectors,'' he said.

Li on Monday visited Slovak National Gallery, home to 55,000 works of art.

In October of 1949, China and the former Socialist Republic of Czechoslovakia established diplomatic relations. In 1993, Slovakia and the Czech Republic split apart and became independent.

China formed diplomatic ties with Slovakia in 1993, and the two agreed to carry over treaties and agreements that applied to former Czechoslovakia.

The two countries have recently increased their fields of co-operation and done more personnel exchanges.

Li came to Slovakia after concluding his visit to Croatia.