KIEV, Sept. 2 – Chinese President Hu Jintao has said he is confident that President Viktor Yanukovych's visit to China will bring the two countries to a higher level of bilateral relations.

"I am deeply convinced that your current visit will serve as a strong impetus to the further strengthening of mutual understanding and friendship between China and Ukraine, and bring our relations of friendship and cooperation to a higher level," he said at a meeting with Yanukovych in Beijing on Thursday.