A senior Chinese official on Sunday hoped to promote pragmatic press cooperation between China and Syria.

Liu Yunshan, head of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of Communist Party of China (CPC), made the remarks when meeting with the Syrian Minister of Information Mohsen Bilal.

Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said this year marked the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, and China would hold grand and warm celebrations.

The minister could get a closer view of the prosperity of China's social and economic development during through his trip, Liu said.

Sino-Syrian friendship has a long history, and bilateral friendly and cooperative relations have developed steadily, he said.

In recent years, the bilateral exchanges in the areas of press, culture and education have become increasingly active, Liu noted, adding these exchanges played an important role in enhancing mutual understanding between the two peoples.

"We hope to promote the pragmatic press cooperation between the two nations to a new level through the minister's visit, and made it a bridge to deepen mutual understanding and enhance friendship between the two peoples," Liu said.

Bilal said China's reform and opening up had made remarkable achievements and had become the focus of world media.

He hoped to witness a thriving and vibrant China through this trip and to intensify press cooperation between the two countries.

(Xinhua News Agency September 21, 2009)