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Li Zhanshu (R), chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, holds talks with Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Binali Yildirim at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 3, 2018. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

BEIJING, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- China and Turkey on Monday vowed to strengthen parliamentary exchanges and cooperation to strengthen bilateral ties.

The pledge came as China's top legislator Li Zhanshu held talks with Binali Yildirim, speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, in Beijing.

Bonded by the ancient Silk Road in the past, China and Turkey are more closely connected today by the Belt and Road Initiative, said Li, chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, adding that the two countries were at a similar development stage, shared common interests, and had great cooperation potential.

Li said the leaders of the two countries had met twice this year, reaching important consensus on developing bilateral relations and on major international and regional issues, and making strategic planning and top-level design for promoting bilateral ties in a new era.

He said that China had always viewed the two countries' strategic cooperative relationship from a strategic and long-term perspective, and hoped to deepen mutual trust and beneficial cooperation to lift bilateral ties to a new level.

"The Chinese NPC is ready to work with the Grand National Assembly of Turkey to enhance exchanges and cooperation, and make it a priority to implement the consensus reached by the two countries' leaders," Li said.

Li suggested the two sides carry out friendly exchanges and provide legal protection for bilateral cooperation, to improve the development of the China-Turkey strategic cooperative relationship.

Yildirim said the two countries had broad prospects for cooperation in many areas, including on co-building the Belt and Road, as well as in trade, railways, tourism and anti-terrorism.

"Turkey firmly adheres to the one-China policy and supports China in combating terrorism," he said. "The two parliaments should strengthen friendly exchanges, support pragmatic cooperation in all fields, and add impetus to the development of bilateral ties."