Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang led a big delegation of businessmen in a three-day visit to Albania to celebrate the 60th anniversary of their bilateral diplomatic ties.

Dejiang met Thursday with his Albanian counterpart and Foreign Minister Ilir Meta. He was also to meet with all the other top Albanian officials, including President Bamir Topi, Prime Minister Sali Berisha and Parliament Speaker Jozefina Topalli.

Discussing bilateral relations will be at the center of the talks.

The big group of Chinese businessmen accompanying Dejiang will have many meetings with their Albanian counterparts in an effort to increase partnership and economic exchange.

Zhang said Chinese and Albanians enjoyed a long, traditional friendship despite one being located in Asia and the other in Europe. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 60 years ago, friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation had developed smoothly and fruitfully for both countries.

In recent years, both sides had increased high-level exchanges and deepened mutual understanding as well as mutual trust, added the vice-premier.

Zhang appreciated the Albanian government and parliament's adherence to the one China policy and said hat China would like to work with the Albanian side to deepen the traditional friendship, strengthen friendly exchanges and expand pragmatic cooperation based on the principle of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.

Topalli said Zhang's visit coincided with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the bilateral relations between the two countries and was of great significance to the development of the relationship between the two sides.

She expressed her admiration for the tremendous achievement China had accomplished since adopting the reform and opening up policy. The Albanian parliament would like to advance China-Albania cooperation in various fields and push the bilateral relationship to a higher level.

Zhang also held a meeting on the same day with Albanian Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ilir Meta. After the talk, the two leaders also attended a signing ceremony of a series of cooperation agreements in fields such as trade and education.