Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao said on Friday that inter-parliamentary exchanges are an integral part of China-Canada relations and of great significance for enhancing mutual understanding and public endorsement of bilateral links.

Hu made the remarks when meeting Noel Kinsella, speaker of the Canadian Senate, and Peter Milliken, speaker of the House of Commons.

Over the years, said Hu, the National People's Congress (NPC), China's legislature, has maintained a sound relationship of cooperation and friendly exchanges with both chambers of the Canadian parliament.

Exchanges between the legislatures of the two countries have become increasingly vigorous with a mature mechanism and have seen many significant achievements. Such activities have played an important role in advancing bilateral relations, Hu added.

The Chinese president expressed the hope that the two sides will continue to make good use of the important platform to further advance exchanges on legislation and regulation so as to promote the friendship between the two peoples and the relationship between the two countries.

Over the past four decades, China-Canada relations have always moved forward despite changes in the international situation, and the two countries have conducted frequent contacts at various levels and achieved remarkable results in bilateral cooperation, Hu noted.