Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, meets with President of the National Council of Austria Wolfgang Sobotka via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

BEIJING -- Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, met with President of the National Council of Austria (NCA) Wolfgang Sobotka via video link on Tuesday.

Noting that the leaders of the two countries attach great importance to the development of bilateral ties, Li said China and Austria have been committed to mutual respect, mutual trust and mutual benefit, with fruitful cooperation achievements in fields such as politics, the economy and trade, culture, science and technology.

China is willing to further expand its communication and cooperation with Austria to promote the sound development of bilateral relations, Li said, urging the two sides to continue consolidating political mutual trust and enhance cooperation in the fields of high-end manufacturing, the digital economy, energy conservation and environmental protection, and the snow and ice industry.

He also welcomed Austrian athletes to participate in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Li said the NPC is ready to work with the NCA to maintain high-level exchanges, enhance mutual exchanges, and ratify, amend or roll out legal documents conducive to the development of bilateral ties to provide a legal guarantee for high-quality Belt and Road construction and pragmatic cooperation in all fields.

For his part, Sobotka said China is an important cooperative partner of Austria, and that deepening the friendship between the two countries is of great significance.

He said Austria is willing to enhance cooperation with China to jointly combat COVID-19, and the NCA is ready to strengthen its communication with the NPC to contribute to cooperation in fields such as trade, investment, environmental protection and sports. 

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, meets with President of the National Council of Austria Wolfgang Sobotka via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)