ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia is willing to deepen its friendly relations with China, said Ethiopian President Girma Wolde-Giorgis on Wednesday in meeting with visiting He Ping, Editor-in-Chief of Xinhua News Agency of China, at the presidential palace.

China has offered important support to Ethiopia in the fields of social and economic development and poverty eradication, and Ethiopia is willing to further develop the friendly relations with China and deepen the cooperation between the two nations, said Girma.

Girma expressed his gratitude for China's help in Ethiopia's social and economic development. He said thanks to China's positive support, Ethiopia has witnessed a fast growing pace of economy, especially in the infrastructure in recent years.

He said he is willing to see the bilateral ties to stride forward, and he hoped the media could play a bigger role in boosting mutual understanding between the two peoples.

He Ping, for his part, said Ethiopia is a country with not only a long history but a glorious tradition of fighting for national independence. It is a common wish of the two peoples to develop the Sino-Ethiopian friendship.

He said he was glad to see the fast growing pace of the Ethiopian economy in recent years under the backdrop of a global economic depression.

He said Xinhua News Agency would keep on reporting the progress Ethiopia has made in its social and economic development with authenticity, objectivity and comprehensiveness, and would seek to play a positive role in promoting the friendship of the two peoples.

He Ping was paying a visit to Ethiopia on the invitation of Ethiopia's Ministry of Communications.