China is ready to lift the comprehensive partnership of cooperation with Bangladesh to a new level, Chinese President Hu Jintao said Friday.

In a meeting with visiting Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Beijing, Hu expressed appreciation for the outstanding contributions that Hasina had made to enhancing friendship between the two countries.

Hu said both countries were developing Asian countries that faced the common task of promoting social and economic development and improving living standards of their people. Both China and Bangladesh were working on regional cooperation and the invigoration and development of Asia.

Hu said it is the firm and unchanged guideline of the Chinese government to continuously reinforce and expand friendly cooperation with Bangladesh.

China was ready to deepen political links with Bangladesh by maintaining the momentum of exchanges by high-ranking officials and promptly communicating and coordinating on major issues of mutual concern.

Hu said China was ready to deepen practical cooperation by expanding trade, promoting mutual investment, encouraging companies of both countries to cooperate, and advancing the development of transport and information networks between the two countries.

China was also ready to deepen cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and both sides should take the opportunity of the 35th anniversary of diplomatic links to expand exchanges and cooperation in culture, education, health, news and human resources development, Hu said.

Hu said China was ready to deepen cooperation with Bangladesh in the multinational arena, and to join with Bangladesh to address global challenges, promote regional and sub-regional cooperation and safeguard the interests of developing countries.

Hasina said she had deeply felt the true friendship of the Chinese people and government as she had visited China several times over the years. She said the Bangladeshi people would never forget the precious support and assistance that China had offered over the years.

Hasina expressed the wish to maintain the contact of the leadership and officials of the two countries so as to learn from each other's experience in economic growth and poverty reduction.

She said the two countries could expand cooperation in the areas of trade, economy, agriculture and culture. The two countries should jointly address major challenges such as food security, climate change and natural disasters.

She expressed readiness to work with China to promote peace, stability and common development in the region.

During the meeting, Hu recalled his first meeting with Hasina 17 years ago when the latter headed a Bangladeshi delegation to China. Hu also expressed appreciation for the contributions that the late father of Hasina had made to enhancing friendship between the people of the two countries.

Hasina's father Mujibur Rahman was the first Prime Minister of Bangladesh after the nation won independence. He was murdered in a coup in August 1975, less than two months before China and Bangladesh established diplomatic relations.

During her visit to Beijing starting from Wednesday, Hasina held talks with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between the two countries.

She also met with Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

Wu said that China and Bangladesh were both developing countries and should keep united and support each other against the backdrop of the complex and volatile international situations.

"China will work with Bangladesh to jointly push forward the closer comprehensive and cooperative partnership between the two countries," Wu told Hasina.

Wu also called for further parliamentary exchanges in a bid to facilitate mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of the two countries.