2010-06-12 15:16

OLSO - China and Norway signed here Friday eight documents on cooperation in finance, energy resources, environmental protection and culture.

He Guoqiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the CPC's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, witnessed the signing ceremony.

The senior CPC official also attended a trade forum of entrepreneurs from the two countries and put forward following proposals for expanding the bilateral trade:

The two nations should use the opportunity of their Free Trade Area negotiations to raise the level of trade and economic cooperation and strengthen cooperation in petrochemical industries, shipbuilding and fishery.

Meanwhile, efforts should also be made to expand cooperation in energy conservation and renewable energy, and deepen mutual investments and cooperation in labor services.

Later on Friday, the senior CPC official met with Norwagian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, who said the signing of those eight documents showed there is a broad prospect for China-Norway trade cooperation.

Stoltenberg said China is one of Norway's most important partners for trade and economic cooperation, and his country always sees China's development as an important opportunity for both Norway and the world as a whole.

He Guoqiang hailed the fruitful bilateral exchanges at government, party, parliamentary and popular levels since the two countries forged diplomatic ties 56 years ago. He also noted robust growth in bilateral trade despite the global financial crisis.

The senior Chinese official said the FTA negotiations are progressing smoothly, and hoped that both sides would follow the principle of mutual benefit and strive to ensure the success of the negotiations at an early date.

Norway is the third leg of He Guoqiang's five-nation tour. Before Oslo, he had already toured Italy and Iceland.