RABAT -- China and Morocco agreed here Monday to make joint efforts towards continuous and further development of bilateral friendship and cooperation in various fields.

The agreement was reached between Chinese President Hu Jintao and Moroccan King S. M. Le Roi Mohammed VI during their talks held right after Hu arrived in the Moroccan capital Rabat for a three-day state visit.

China's President Hu Jintao (C) and his wife Liu Yongqing (L) are welcomed by Moroccan King Mohammed in Rabat April 24, 2006. Hu kicked off a three-nation tour of Africa in Morocco on Monday, boosting already booming ties to a continent rich in the energy and minerals his country needs to feed a fast-growing economy. [Reuters]

Hu said both China and Morocco are undergoing reform and development and bilateral cooperation has entered a new development stage.

Hu made a three-point proposal to boost bilateral friendship and cooperation.

The first is to continue high-level contacts, enhance governmental, parliamentary and inter-political party exchanges, strengthen consultations and cooperation in international and regional affairs, and comprehensively promote bilateral friendship and cooperation.

The second is to take measures to expand bilateral trade and cooperation in science and technology, telecommunications, agriculture, oil and gas development, labor, project engineering and human resources training, and encourage two-way investment.

The third is to further improve bilateral cooperation in education, culture, health and tourism, speed up the implementation of the bilateral tourism cooperation agreement, and promote exchanges among different localities and non-governmental organizations of the two countries.

Hu said China pays great attention to the Sino-Moroccan ties and bilateral relations have progressed smoothly since the two countries forged diplomatic ties 48 years ago.

China appreciates Morocco's consistent one-China policy, said Hu.

Mohammed VI agreed with Hu, saying his country is ready to strengthen cooperation with China in such fields as fishery, tourism, culture and infrastructure.

Both sides also exchanged views on Sino-African relations and international and regional issues of common concerns, and agreed to further strengthen cooperation within the framework of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum.

After the talks, the two leaders attended a signing ceremony for a series of bilateral cooperative agreements in the fields of economy, trade, science, technology, culture, health care and tourism.

Morocco is the third leg of Hu's five-nation tour which has already taken him to the United States and Saudi Arabia, and will also take him to Nigeria and Kenya.

China-Morocco trade reached 150 million U.S. dollars in 2005, increasing by 28 percent compared with the previous year.