Mon, May 14, 2012
BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokesman on Monday congratulated Algeria on its successful parliamentary election.
The election in Algeria finished last Thursday, as a total of 24,916 candidates, including 7,700 women, from 44 political parties and 186 independent lists competed for 462 seats in the new parliament.
Algeria's ruling National Liberation Front won, after obtaining 220 seats, according to media reports.
China and Algeria share a deep traditional friendship and have established strategic cooperative relations, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei at a routine press briefing.
"We support the positive efforts of Algeria to promote political reform and safeguard social stability," he said, adding that China is ready to work with Algeria to further advance bilateral friendly cooperation.
Algeria invited about 500 international monitors, including 150 from the European Union, to supervise the parliamentary elections.
