ALGIERS, March 21 (Xinhua) -- This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Algeria. The bilateral cooperation in various fields has stood the test of time and has shown a strong momentum for further growth.

China and Algeria have all along offered mutual sympathy, enjoyed mutual understanding and supported each other.

In the 1950s, China, to the best of its ability, provided political, economic and military support for Algeria's liberation struggle against colonial rule, when China itself was experiencing a difficult time for its development.

Shortly after the Algerian interim government was formed in September 1958, China immediately recognized it, becoming the first non-Arab country to grant diplomatic recognition to the government. Later on, China and the North African country established full diplomatic ties on Dec. 20 that year.

Soon after Algeria declared independence, China dispatched a medical team to Algeria in April 1963. The medical team was also the first one China had sent to an African country. Since then, China has sent a total of 21 batches of medical staff to Algeria, numbering more than 2,800 Chinese medical personnel.

The local people were impressed by the professional dedication on the part of the Chinese doctors who have made their due contributions to Algeria's healthcare development.

In May 2003, a strong earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale hit northern Algeria, causing heavy casualties and property losses. China, shortly after the disaster, dispatched a rescue team to Algeria, the first one China had ever sent overseas.

Algeria, in the early 1970s, played an important role in the efforts to restore China's legitimate seat in the United Nations, as a major co-sponsor country for the draft resolution calling for the restoration of all China's legitimate rights in the world body.

For a long period of time, there have been frequent exchanges of visits between the two countries' top leaders, who have maintained close contact with each other.

At the invitation of his Algerian counterpart Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Chinese President Hu Jintao paid a state visit to Algeria in February 2004, during which the two leaders exchanged views on bilateral ties and regional and international issues of common concern, signed several accords on boosting bilateral cooperation and announced the establishment of the China-Algeria strategic cooperation.

In November 2006, Bouteflika paid a state visit to China and attended the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. The two presidents signed a communique on promoting the strategic cooperative ties.

The good political ties between the two countries have given a strong impetus to bilateral exchanges and cooperation in economy and trade and other fields.

According to the statistics provided by China's Commerce Ministry, bilateral trade reached 3.828 billion U.S. dollars in 2007, up 83 percent from 2006. China's exports to Algeria rose to 2.688 billion dollars, while its imports from that country hit 1.140 billion dollars.

There are some 40 large Chinese enterprises which are currently expanding business in Algeria, ranging from road and housing construction, telecommunications and energy, to water resources and transportation.

The Sheraton Hotel, built by a Chinese company, is now a major landmark in the capital city, while the expressway under construction that will link Algeria's east and west will also become a key strategic artery for the North African countries and the littoral states of the Mediterranean Sea.

Source: Xinhua