VIENNA, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen and Yang Xiaodu, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met here Thursday, expressing the hope to strengthen cooperation.

Yang, also deputy secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and head of the national supervisory commission, conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping's greetings to Van der Bellen, and thanked him for his warm congratulatory message on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Yang said that during the Austrian president's state visit to China last year, the two countries' heads of state jointly established a friendly strategic partnership and charted the future course for bilateral relations.

China is willing to strengthen exchanges and communication with Austria's new government, implement the important consensuses reached by the two leaders, expand cooperation in various areas within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and continuously enrich the Sino-Austrian friendly strategic partnership, he said.

He also said that China is willing to strengthen cooperation with Austria on anti-corruption.

Van der Bellen asked Yang to send his best wishes to Xi and once again congratulated the PRC on its 70th anniversary.

He spoke highly of bilateral ties, saying that Austria is willing to participate in the BRI and strengthen cooperation with China in fields like trade, tourism and winter sport, to promote the sustained and healthy development of bilateral relations.

At the invitation of the Austrian government, a CPC delegation led by Yang started to visit the country from Tuesday.

During the visit, Yang also met with Austrian National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka and Vice Chancellor and Minister of Justice Clemens Jabloner.

Yang also visited the International Anti-Corruption Academy, met with representatives of the United Nations (UN) and signed an agreement on anti-corruption cooperation with the United Nations.