Ethiopian Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin  held talks with Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Lu Guozeng on bilateral, regional and international issues of common interest on June 20 (Monday).

The two officials exchanged views, especially on the activities underway to reform the United Nations.

During their talks, Seyoum said Ethiopia supports the UN reform activities, according to an official with the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry, who attended the meeting.

Lu after the talks told journalists that his government will further its development assistance to Ethiopia. He described the current status of cooperation between Ethiopia and China as vibrant.

The Chinese government is desirous to further step up its cooperation with Ethiopia, he said, adding that China considers the place of Ethiopia in Africa as being highly significant.

He said the trade and economic cooperation between the two countries has been growing steadily.

During the talks it was pledged that all the necessary measures will be taken to enable Ethiopia draw utmost benefits from the duty-free export opportunity act China has granted to some African countries, according to the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry.

The opportunity act, enforced this year in the framework of the China-African Cooperation Forum, is expected to boost Ethiopia's export trade. The opportunity is granted to 28 countries in Africa.