Chinese President Hu Jintao (right) holds talks with Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin in Ottawa, Canada yesterday, as both countries seek to expand ties.— Xinhua

President Hu Jintao and Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin agreed in Ottawa yesterday to build a strategic partnership aimed at promoting the long-term and steady development of bilateral relations.
The two leaders met for two hours and agreed to expand the China-Canada relationship from a partnership of all-round cooperation mapped out in 1997 to a strategic partnership.
At a press briefing after the talks, Hu said the two countries also agreed to make joint efforts to raise bilateral trade volume from US$15.5 billion in 2004 to US$30 billion in 2010.
Trade between the two countries increased by 55 percent last year from 2004. In the first half of 2005, trade between the two nations hit US$9 billion.
To realize the goal, Hu said both countries should further open their markets to expand bilateral trade, increase two-way investment in infrastructure, energy, environmental protection, agriculture and telecommunications in particular, strengthen cooperation in energy and resources, and create better conditions to facilitate business activities involving companies from both countries.
He said enhancing friendly and cooperative relations with Canada constitutes an important component of Chinese foreign policy and China will work with Canada to continuously push for new results in the development of bilateral ties.
Hu and Martin also answered questions from the press on human rights, Tibet and Taiwan.
"The two economies are highly complementary to one another and their vast potential is mutually beneficial," Hu said on Thursday at a welcoming ceremony at Rideau Hall, the official residence of Governor General Adrienne Clarkson.
"China and Canada shoulder important responsibilities in safeguarding world peace and promoting common development," said Hu,
He said that China will work with Canada to seize the opportunity to expand cooperation so as to jointly create a better future for bilateral ties.
Hu arrived in the Canadian capital on Thursday morning on a state visit as a guest of the Canadian Governor-General.
Hu reviewed the rapid growth of exchanges and cooperation over the past 35 years of bilateral diplomatic ties in politics, economics, trade, energy, science, technology, education and culture, as well as fruitful cooperation on major international and regional issues.
Furthering relations serves the requirements of the times and the aspiration of the two peoples, as the two countries are influential and shoulder major responsibilities for safeguarding world peace and promoting common development, said Hu.
He expressed confidence that under the concerted efforts from both sides, the friendship between the two peoples and bilateral cooperation will continue yielding new and rich results.
Hu is also scheduled to pay a state visit to Mexico and attend the UN summit in New York from September 14-16.
After meetings with Martin, Hu was to travel to Gatineau, across the Ottawa River that separates Ontario and the French-speaking province of Quebec. There he is to attend a luncheon hosted by Martin at the Canadian Museum of Civilization and meet with Quebec Premier Jean Charest.
Hu travels to Toronto and Niagara Falls today, then heads to Mexico on Sunday. He then will travel to the UN summit and on Friday go to Vancouver to start two days of meetings before heading home.