China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin said here on Thursday that the cooperation between China and Brunei benefited the two peoples and called for further exchanges.

Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body, made the remarks at a meeting with Parliament Speaker Awang Isa during his visit to the country.

Hailing the traditional friendship between China and Brunei, Jia said the effort of the two countries to strengthen cooperation is in the fundamental interests of the two peoples and is conducive to regional peace, stability and prosperity.

China attached importance to friendship and cooperation with Brunei, and was ready to implement the consensus reached by top leaders of the two countries to push forward bilateral ties, Jia said.

Trade between China and Brunei reached 1.3 billion U.S. dollars last year, exceeding the 1 billion U.S. dollars goal set by the two countries.

Jia stressed that China is still a developing country though it has made great progress since it started the reform and opening-up drive in the late 1970s. A steadily developing and prosperous China with social harmony will bring no threat but opportunities to the world, especially countries in the region.

China will continue to follow the road of peaceful development and adheres to its foreign policy of good-neighborliness while seeking common development and prosperity with other Asian countries and becoming their good neighbor, friend and partner, he said.

Isa said Jia's visit showcased the importance of the China- Brunei relationship and will inject new vitality into it. Brunei attached great importance to relations with China and appreciated China's policy of peace and friendship that all nations, big or small, are equal.

Describing the increasingly active cooperation in all fields, especially cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries as "encouraging", Isa said Brunei spoke highly of the opportunities China's development brought to countries in and outside the region.

Brunei is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China so as to push forward relations between them, he added.

After the meeting, Jia attended a luncheon hosted by the Brunei- China Friendship Association.

Addressing the luncheon, Jia hailed the development of China- Brunei relations as an excellent example of how big and small countries can treat each other as equals, engage in mutually beneficial cooperation and live in harmony.

Jia said China cherishes its traditional friendship and cooperation with Brunei, and was ready to work with Brunei for even greater progress in their relations.

China achieved an economic growth of 9.2 percent last year despite the complex and changing international political and economic environment and the arduous tasks for reform and development, Jia said.

He expressed his belief that China's current efforts to meet the goals set in its 12th Five-Year Plan for the 2011-2015 period will create enormous demand for investment and consumption, which will provide companies from Brunei and other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations with important business opportunities and benefit regional and even global economic development.

Kamaruddin, chairman of the Brunei-China Friendship Association, said he believed Jia's visit will push forward the interaction and exchange between the two countries in various fields.

The association is ready to help promote cooperation between companies of the two countries and will continue to make contribution to the Brunei-China friendship and trade and economic cooperation.

Jia arrived in Seri Begawan on Wednesday evening after a trip to New Zealand. His official visit to Brunei will last till April 20.

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