2010-03-29 10:33

GOTHENBURG, Sweden -?Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping on Sunday visited an industry hub in southwest Sweden and met Vastra Gotaland County Governor Lars Backstrom.

During his meeting with Backstrom and Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Maud Olofsson, Xi said this year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Sweden and that his ongoing visit to Sweden aims at further promoting friendly cooperation between the two countries through celebrating the anniversary.

Both the city of Gothenburg and Vastra Gotaland County have played an irreplaceable role in the development of ties between the two countries, Xi said.

A replica of the 18th-century wooden merchant ship Gotheborg, which reached the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou several times in the late 1730s and early 1740s, symbolizes the friendly exchanges between China and Sweden, Xi said.

The 2006 voyage of the reconstructed Gotheborg to Guangzhou and Shanghai has enhanced the friendship between the Chinese and Swedish people and thus significantly contributed to the growth of the bilateral relationship, Xi said.

The relations between the two countries are showing a strong momentum ?with more cooperation in all fields and personnel exchanges, he said. Vastra Gotaland County as Sweden's industry hub and Gothenburg as a famous industrial and commercial city in Scandinavia enjoy many unique advantages in their cooperation with China, the Chinese vice president said.

He said the two sides should make full use of their favorable conditions to lift the bilateral relationship to a higher level.

Warmly welcoming Xi on behalf of the people of Vastra Gotaland County, Backstrom said Gothenburg is a city with a long and close relationship with China.

Since Xi's last visit to Gothenburg 31 years ago, relations between Sweden and China have been developing rapidly, Backstrom said, adding that China's development and the Beijing Olympic Games were quite impressive.

Vastra Gotaland County hopes to strengthen its ties with China in economic cooperation, trade, culture, sports and the fight against climate change, he said.

On Sunday morning, Xi also visited Swedish ballbearing maker SKF. After being briefed on SKF's global business operations, including its business links with China, Xi spoke highly of the company's cooperation with China.

The Chinese vice-president flew to Stockholm Sunday afternoon after his stay in Gothenburg. He is scheduled to hold talks with Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and meet Swedish Parliament Speaker Per Westerberg. Xi and Reinfeldt would hold a joint press conference after their talks.

Xi is also expected to attend a China-Sweden enterprise cooperation and innovation forum.

Sweden is the last leg of Xi's 12-day European tour, which has already taken him to Russia, Belarus and Finland.