BEIJING - Top legislator Zhang Dejiang said Thursday China is ready to strengthen friendly cooperation between the legislatures of China and Nigeria.

Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), said in a meeting with visiting Nigerian President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan that the NPC is ready to deepen exchanges with the National Assembly of Nigeria.

Zhang said China and Nigeria have always been true friends who respect each other.

Since the two countries established a strategic partnership, bilateral relations have grown smoothly with mutual trust continuously deepening, practical cooperation has rapidly been expanding, and people-to-people contact has been increasing over time, he said.

Zhang said the NPC places great importance on its relations with the National Assembly of Nigeria and is ready to expand friendly cooperation with the Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives.

He said Chinese and Nigerian legislatures should jointly push forward implementing the important consensus that the heads of state of the two countries reached during Jonathan's visit.

Jonathan held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday. The heads of state agreed to further enrich the content of the strategic partnership and jointly advance it.

Zhang also said the parliaments of the two countries should work on advancing bilateral political ties, trade, economic and cultural cooperation so as to add fresh impetus to the China-Nigeria strategic partnership.

Jonathan said China's monumental growth sets an example for African countries. He said Nigeria is ready to further advance relations with China and deepen exchanges between the parliaments so as to benefit the two peoples.