Chinese VP meets US delegation, Cote d'Ivoire speaker

BEIJING - Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao on Tuesday met separately with a US bipartisan delegation and Cote d'Ivoire's parliamentary speaker Guillaume Soro.

In the meeting with the US delegation, Li said the dialogue between senior members of Chinese and US parties have played an important role in enhancing bilateral understanding and trust.

Li called on the Chinese and US parties to increase dialogue, expand communication, seek common ground and enhance trust in a bid to build the new type of China-US relations.

The US delegation is led by Howard Berman, one time head of the committee on foreign affairs of the US Congress, and treasurer of the Republican national committee Tony Parker.

While meeting Soro, Li reviewed the growth of China-Cote d'Ivoire relations since the two countries opened diplomatic ties in 1983, saying the two countries have respected and helped each other.

Li called on the two countries to consolidate political trust, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, increase people-to-people exchanges and bring bilateral relations to a new high.

Soro, who is on a week-long visit to China, said Cote d'Ivoire and China have similar past experiences and would like to work with China to seek a mutually beneficial partnership based on mutual respect.