China, Colombia pledge closer legislative ties

BEIJING, July 1 -- Top Chinese and Colombian legislators pledged to advance legislative cooperation and help boost exchanges and collaboration in other fields on Wednesday.

The pledge came out of talks between top Chinese legislator Zhang Dejiang and Colombian Congress President Jose David Name Cardozo at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), reviewed Chinese President Xi Jinping's meeting with Colombian president last July and Premier Li Keqiang's visit in May, saying the events witnessed consensus and agreements on promoting China-Colombia relations.

Zhang also recalled his visit to Colombia last November, where consensus was reached to better legislative cooperation.

Zhang called on the legislative bodies of China and Colombia to consolidate political trust, enhance mutual understanding of each other's national conditions and political systems through candid dialogue and friendly cooperation, have a deep understanding of each other's major concerns and core interests, support each other and lay a solid political foundation for bilateral relations.

He proposed the legislative bodies provide reliable legal guarantees for practical collaboration, help deepen trade and economic collaboration and increase communication and coordination within multilateral parliament organizations.

Name underscored the great importance Colombia has placed on developing ties with China, calling for stronger cooperation in trade, agriculture, infrastructure and recyclable energy.

Name said he expected the visit to deepen the relations between Colombian Congress and the NPC and promote practical cooperation in various fields.

Name will conclude his six-day China tour on Friday.