Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, holds talks with Bahrain's parliament speaker Fawzia bint Abdulla Zainal via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 15, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

BEIJING -- Top legislator Li Zhanshu on Wednesday held talks with Bahrain's parliament speaker Fawzia bint Abdulla Zainal via video link, and the two sides vowed to strengthen parliamentary exchanges and cooperation.

Li, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said that China has always regarded Bahrain as a good friend and partner and is willing to work jointly to further strengthen bilateral ties so as to benefit the two countries and peoples.

The two sides should continue to strengthen political support for each other, deepen anti-pandemic cooperation, advance high-quality pragmatic cooperation across the fields, and strengthen people-to-people exchanges, he said.

He called for enhancing the synergy between the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030, expanding cooperation in such fields as economy, trade, energy, infrastructure, 5G, and e-commerce.

China's NPC is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the Bahraini parliament through maintaining high-level exchanges, timely approving, revising and introducing relevant legal documents that are beneficial to bilateral ties, and exchanging experience in state governance, Li said.

He also called on the two sides to enhance dialogue on regional and global issues, cooperate closely on multilateral occasions and jointly safeguard the interests of developing countries.

Zainal, also speaker of Bahrain's Council of Representatives, pledged to further strengthen parliamentary exchanges with China's NPC and promote legislative cooperation and friendship between the two peoples.

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, holds talks with Bahrain's parliament speaker Fawzia bint Abdulla Zainal via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 15, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)