国内英语新闻:China, Turkey vow to boost ties, exchanges of visits

ISTANBUL, Turkey, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao's special representative and State Councilor Dai Bingguo and Turkish President Abdullah Gul on Tuesday vowed to boost bilateral ties and increase exchanges of visits by leaders and senior officials.

Dai met with Gul on the sidelines of the third summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-building Measures in Asia (CICA) here. Turkey held the rotating presidency of the 20-member forum.

Dai said Israel's recent raid on a Turkish humanitarian aid convoy heading to beseiged Gaza, which had resulted in deaths, should be condemned, and he also offered condolences to those affected.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul (R) talks with China's State Councillor Dai Bingguo (L) who is also a special representative of Chinese President Hu Jintao during a meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, June 8, 2010.

China was glad to see Turkey enjoying rapid development and increasing international influence, Dai said, noting the positive and strong development of relations between the two countries in recent years.

China attached great importance to the relations with Turkey and had been trying to handle them with a strategic and long-term approach. China was willing to work with Turkey for more visits by leaders and senior officials, more political trust and closer cooperation, he said.

Gul said he was pleased to see efforts to implement the consensus reached between him and President Hu on boosting relations between China and Turkey.

He noted the strong and rapid development of the bilateral friendship and cooperation, including the quick growth of Turkish exports to China.

The president said Turkey attached great importance to developing relations with China, and hoped to strengthen coordination with it in international affairs.

Turkey looked forward to increasing exchanges of visits by leaders and senior officials and boosting bilateral cooperation, he said.