China and Pakistan should  encourage their business communities to expand reciprocal  cooperation in various forms, said Jia Qinglin, chairman of the  National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative  Conference.

Jia, who is here on an official goodwill visit at the  invitation of Pakistani Senate Chairman Mohammedmian Soomro, made  the remarks here Thursday at a meeting with Pakistani Prime  Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali.

Jia said Sino-Pakistani economic and trade cooperation is  experiencing a good development momentum and there are still vast  potentials.

He said Pakistan, the last leg of his visit to five South Asian nations, is one of China's best neighbors in the region.

The two countries have always followed the Five Principles of  Peaceful Co-existence, and they have also supported, trusted and  understood each other, noted Jia.

He voiced his appreciation for Pakistan's consistent support  for China on such issues as Taiwan, human rights, Tibet and  combating "East Turkistan" forces.

Jamali said China is Pakistan's trust-worthy neighbor and it is Pakistan's policy to develop friendship with China.

In the new century, the two countries should further strengthen unity and friendship, said Jamali, hoping that leaders of the two  countries will keep constant contacts.

He said Pakistan will learn from China's economic development  and he welcomed more cooperation between the two sides and more  Chinese investment in the country.

At a separate meeting here Thursday with Pakistani National  Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain, Jia said the two sides  should take more active measures to strengthen cooperation in  education and culture, and encourage people-to-people contacts,  especially between the youth of the two countries.

Agreeing with Jia, Hussain said the Pakistani side will  cooperate closely with the Chinese side and conduct bilateral  exchanges and cooperation in various forms.

Jia visited India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal before  arriving here on Wednesday.

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