BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Xinhuanet) -- China and Canada should expand cooperation in all fields to push forward an all-round partnership of cooperation, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin said in a meeting here Thursday. 

    Speaking highly of China-Canada ties, Wen said China and Canadahave seen rapid progress in bilateral ties during the past 35 years since the establishement of diplomatic ties, especially after the all-round partnership of cooperation was founded in 1997.

    In recent years, Wen said, high-level exchange of visits was increased, trade and economic ties were deepened, and fruitful results were reached in cultural, educational, scientific and health sectors. The Chinese side was satisfactory to the good developing trend of China-Canada ties.

    He said China and Canada share many things in common. In political terms, the two nations shared similar views in pushing forward multilateralism, reducing poverty and achieving sustainable development. In economic terms, the two countries being complementary to each other, both have urgent wish to further cooperation.

    China and Canada maintaining the stable development of bilateral ties is conducive not only to the two countries and their peoples, but also to the peace and development of the regionand the world at large, Wen stressed.

    In a view to promote China-Canada ties to a new height, Wen said, the Chinese side hoped to strengthen high-level contact between the governments and legislatures of the two countries, enhance mutual political trust, and make good use of the China-Canada strategic working group to be built soon.

    The two sides should give the relevant mechanisms to their fullplay, to expand cooperation in fields of energy, environmental protection, telecommunication and transportation. And the two sides should strengthen cooperation in the United Nations (UN), Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and the regional forum of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), staying close in consultation and coordination on important international and regional issues. The contact between the two peoples should also be strengthened, with communication and cooperation in cultural and educational sectors pushed forward.

    Agreeing to Wen's comments and suggestions on bilateral ties, Martin said the Canadian government and people attached much importance to Canada-China ties. Canada not only hoped to push forward bilateral trade and economic cooperation, but also is willing to join hands with China in international affairs in the new century.

    Canada has abundant resources and advanced technology, which ishighly complementary to China's fast growing economy, Martin said.     

    To establish Canada-China strategic working group is a good thing, Martin said, adding that the Canadian side hoped to forge along-term mutually beneficial partnership of cooperation with China.

    After the talks, China and Canada issued Joint Statement by China and Canada, Common Paper of China-Canada Strategic Working Group, and Statement on Energy Cooperation in the 21st century. The two sides also signed ten cooperative documents in fields of culture, resources, energy, agriculture research.

    Before the talks, Wen held a welcoming ceremony for Martin at the Great Hall of the People.

    At the invitation of Wen, Martin arrived here Thursday afternoon for a four-day official visit to China. Enditem