国内英语新闻:Iceland's president meets high-ranking CPC official

STOCKHOLM, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Iceland's President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson Wednesday said that Iceland's government and people sincerely appreciate China's precious support to Iceland in dealing with financial crisis and treat China as a trustworthy friend and important cooperation partner, according to a report reaching here from Reykjavik.

"Iceland is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in various fields including geothermal energy, earthquake monitoring, culture and tourism. Iceland will take the 40th anniversary of Iceland-China diplomatic relations as an opportunity to promote bilateral relations to a new stage," Grimsson said in a meeting with Liu Qi, a high-ranking Chinese party official.

Liu, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the CPC, arrived in Iceland on Monday after his three-day visit to Sweden.

Liu said that with the close and frequent high level mutual visits in recent years, political trust between the two sides has been strengthened.

"The two sides have had fruitful mutually beneficial cooperation in financial, fishery, geothermal energy and hydropower fields and conducted active educational, scientific and technological and cultural exchanges. The two countries have communicated and coordinated very well in international affairs," Liu said.

Liu believed that there will be broad prospect for the two sides to cooperate in trade, cultural and new energy areas.

"China has attached great importance to Sino-Icelandic relations and is willing to further expand exchanges and cooperation with Iceland in various fields to promote bilateral friendly relations to a new level," Liu stressed.

During his visit in Iceland, Liu also met Iceland's Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade Ossur Skarphedinsson and Mayor of Reykjavik Jon Gnarr. He also inspected a geothermal power station and a high-tech enterprise.

Liu left Iceland on Wednesday night for Holland and he will visit Switzerland after his tour in the Netherlands.