英语文摘:Senior CPC official meets with Estonian leaders on bilateral relations

TALLINN, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Li Changchun, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC), met here Tuesday with Estonian parliament speaker and prime minister on bilateral relations.

Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, arrived in the Estonian capital of Tallinn earlier in the day for a three-day official goodwill visit to the Baltic Sea country.

While meeting with Estonian Parliament Speaker Ene Ergma, Li said China would work to further boost its overall relations with Estonia.

"China pays a lot of attention to its relationship with Estonia and appreciates Estonia's support for the one-China policy and China's other core interests," he said.

He added China would work to further boost its political relations with Estonia and to expand pragmatic bilateral cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and common interest with the aim of developing the friendly bilateral ties between the two countries in an all-around way.

Li noted parliamentary and party-to-party exchanges are a major part of China-Estonian relationship.

The CPC has established friendly ties with all major political parties in Estonia, he said, hoping such exchanges can lay a solid foundation for the overall bilateral relationship.

Ergma, for her part, said Estonia and China have maintained good relations and bilateral cooperation has been constantly deepened under the principle of equality and mutual benefits.

Estonia hopes to further strengthen exchanges with China in economic, trade and cultural areas, she said.

Particularly, Estonia hopes China can use the port of Tallinn as an important connecting point of the East-West maritime transportation route as part of efforts to expand bilateral cooperation on ports, according to her.

Later Tuesday, Li also met with Estonian Prime Minister Adrus Ansip who is also head of Estonia's Reform Party.