2001.06.27

 BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhuanet) -- China and Norway pledged Wednesday  to make concerted efforts to further promote bilateral cooperation in various areas.
  Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan and his Norwegian  counterpart Thorbjoern Jagland held talks Wednesday afternoon in  which they both spoke highly of the cooperation between the two  countries in international affairs, trade and economy, environment protection, and science and technology.
  Tang said the Sino-Norwegian ties have made much progress in  recent years, adding that the two sides have maintained contacts  at various levels and have established fruitful mechanism of  dialogue in the fields of human rights and judiciary.
  The Chinese government attaches importance to its relations  with Norway and is willing to keep the momentum of high-level  mutual visits and to push forward the bilateral friendly  cooperation.
  Jagland said that the current relationship between his country  and China is very good. He said that Norway regards China as an  important partner and attaches great importance to China's  constructive role in international politics.
  Jagland noted that there is still great potential of  cooperation between the two countries in the areas of economy and  trade, science and technology, and environmental protection.
  He said that Norway formulated its new strategy toward China  recently and the new strategy stressed Norway's expectation to  strengthen political dialogue and economic and trade cooperation  with China.
  The two foreign ministers also exchanged views on issues  concerning the United Nations and other international issues of  common interest.