Chinese President Hu Jintao (R, front) shakes hands with visiting Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski after they signed a joint statement extending bilateral relations to a level of strategic partnership in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 20, 2011. Photo:Xinhua

Chinese President Hu Jintao and visiting President of Poland Bronislaw Komorowski on Tuesday signed a joint statement extending bilateral relations to a level of strategic partnership.

Both China and Poland believed that expanding and deepening Sino-Poland relations was in line with the two countries' common wills and fundamental interests, and the move will contribute to maintaining global peace and development and promoting harmony among each state, according to the statement.

The two countries will respect and support each side's development route as well as interior and exterior policies based on domestic conditions. They will also take into account their own core interests and cherish efforts to maintain state sovereignty and territorial integrity, the statement said.

The two sides expressed the desire to keep and strengthen frequent contact between each side's leaders through bilateral visits or multilateral occasions.

China and Poland decided to build up a strategic dialogue mechanism among vice foreign ministers to deeply exchange views on international and regional affairs of common concern and beef up the cooperation of each side's Foreign Ministry, the statement said.

China and Poland will also boost and fulfill the dialogue and cooperation among legislative bodies, parties, and governments of different levels in order to share experience in the development of governing, economics, society and culture.