His Majesty King Abdullah welcomed a Chinese parliamentary delegation as the two countries marked 35 years of diplomatic ties.

During a working lunch he hosted at Basman Palace, the King and the Chinese team, headed by Vice President of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China Han Qide, discussed means of cementing Sino-Jordanian relations in various fields.

King Abdullah hailed the "distinguished" level of relations, stressing Jordan's interest to see Chinese economic and cultural presence in the Middle East due to Beijing's key role in the region's issues.

He said in that context that the Kingdom looked forward to fostering cooperation through increased Chinese participation in Jordan's vital projects in the transport, energy and water sectors.

His Majesty said Beijing has a key role in the Middle East peace process and the setting up of an independent Palestinian state on national Palestinian soil.

Turning to Syria, King Abdullah noted China's support of the Arab League position calling for a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis without foreign military intervention, urging intensive efforts to end the crisis.

During the audience, attended by Lower House Speaker Abdul Karim Dughmi and the King's advisers, Han said he was pleased to see the progress Jordan had made under the King that left its mark on the country's progress, noting the Kingdom's security and stability had made it attractive to foreign investment.

Jordan plays a positive role in the stability of the entire region, he said, pledging that Beijing would contribute aid to help the Kingdom address the challenges it is currently facing.

Dughmi briefed the King on his talks with the Chinese parliamentarians, noting that relations with Beijing had seen remarkable progress under King Abdullah, mainly in economic and cultural fields. He also praised China's support of Arab causes, top of which is the Palestinian issue.

Han told reporters after the meeting that 35 years on, Jordan and China maintained exemplary ties that "will continue to grow as mutual political trust further boosts the level of relations." He described the meeting as "cordial, deep and very constructive", adding: "We exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East and the world at large, and that my talks with the King will have a big impact on strengthening the friendship between the two countries." Han also said bilateral economic and commercial ties had largely grown over the past decade with the volume of trade increasing by seven-fold, referring to the large potential for cooperation in military, education and cultural fields.