AMMAN, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- Bilateral relations between Jordan and China have gained momentum in recent years, becoming warmer and deeper in almost every aspects, Jordanian King Abdullah II told Xinhua prior to his visit to China.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, King Abdullah said "we in Jordan are very pleased that, in recent years especially, our (Jordan and China) ties have grown warmer and deeper in nearly every field," noting that China is one of Jordan's most important development partners.

Abdullah will pay a state visit to China from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1,the fifth Beijing tour since he succeeded to the throne in 1999.

"I think that this visit is going to result in a couple of new agreements that reflect the momentum in our relationship," he said, adding that the Jordan Investment Board and the China Development Bank will respectively open an office in Beijing and Jordan.

"This reflects the scope of potential for cooperation in many fields, especially among our respective private sectors," he said.

China and Jordan also share some fundamental values when it comes to issues of security, especially fighting terrorism and concerns about nuclear weapons proliferation, Abdullah said.

"So I fundamentally believe that there are bridgeheads to a much more comprehensive relationship between Jordan and China and, in fact, a broader strategic relationship between the Arab world and China," he said.

The king also expressed his appreciation to the changes and pace of progress China has experienced in recent years, saying that the "discipline and focus with which China has pursued development is very much admired in my part of the world."

The king also disclosed that the two countries will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations during his visit to China, terming it "a milestone year" in the two countries' relationship.

Commenting on the 2008 Olympic Games, the king said he always looks forward to every Olympic Games as a showcase of athletic excellence, noting that the Beijing Olympics would display more.

"I believe millions of people everyday read about China's extraordinary growth and progress," he said, adding that "there is a lot of additional excitement around the world just because China is hosting the games."

He said "for many people, the Olympics are going to be a window into China, its culture and its contemporary achievements in many areas," saying that "I have no doubt that China will make the upcoming games one of the most memorable in history."

During the interview, the king also expressed his country's optimism towards a U.S.-proposed international conference on the Middle East peace slated for later this year in Annapolis, the United States.

He said "what we've been hearing back from the U.S., the EU, the(Middle East) Quartet, has given us some reason for optimism."

"This is especially important right now," he said, for "the peace meeting to be hosted by the U.S. provides an important opportunity" for resolving the chronic Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

"The international community is working very hard to make sure this happens," Abdullah said, noting that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the Quartet's envoy Tony Blair have visited the region respectively in efforts to narrow the differences.

The king also voiced Jordan's hope that the international peace meeting will deliver concrete results, namely "an agreement in principle on the final status issues that will set the agenda for negotiations and a clear timeframe."

"All of these will convince the people of the region that the parties are seriously committed to peace and that an end to this conflict is in sight," he said.

Bilateral ties have been developing smoothly since China and Jordan established diplomatic relations in 1977 and the two sides have enjoyed fruitful cooperation in economy, trade, culture, and tourism.

China is currently Jordan's third largest foreign trade partner, with bilateral business transactions reaching 1.031 billion U.S. dollars in 2006.