On October 23, 2008, Chinese President Hu Jintao met at the Great Hall of the People with Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, who is here for an official visit and the seventh Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) to be held on Oct. 24 to 25.

During the meeting, Hu said Sino-Dutch relations have witnessed stable development since 1972, when the two countries established diplomatic relations. The two sides have maintained high-level communication and exchanges at other levels and improved political mutual trust, Hu said. The president noted that bilateral economic cooperation was also fruitful with the Netherlands remaining China's second largest trade partner in the European Union (EU) over the past five consecutive years. He pointed out that successful cooperation in agriculture, science and technology, water conservancy and other fields has become an important symbol of Sino-Dutch mutually beneficial cooperation and even Sino-European cooperation.

Hu stressed that the Chinese government has attached importance to the development of bilateral relations and is willing to reinforce friendly communication with the Netherlands at all levels, keep expanding and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation in various sectors, and enhance communication and coordination on key international issues to write a new chapter for Sino-Dutch friendly cooperative relations.

Hu pointed out that China has been paying great attention to the development of Sino-European relations and supporting EU integration. China welcomes EU to play a more active and constructive role in international affairs and hopes to make joint efforts with EU to push forward Sino-European relations.

Balkenende said his country has maintained sound relations with China and the two sides have worked together in many fields including economy and trade, investment, science and technology, water conservancy, sustainable development and judicial affairs. The prime minister said China has made great achievements in economic development and improvement of its legal system, and that China is playing an increasingly important role in maintaining the stability of the world economy. He expressed the willingness to enhance dialogue and cooperation with China on the basis of equality and mutual respect, further bilateral relations, advance the development of Sino-EU relations, and jointly deal with the financial crisis and other challenges facing the international community.

State Councilor Dai Bingguo attended the meeting.