BEIJING - China will take Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's recent visit as an opportunity to boost bilateral relations to a new level, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Monday.

Spokesman Liu Weimin made the remark during a regular press briefing, stating that the leaders of both countries used the visit to exchange views on China-Canadian relations, bilateral pragmatic cooperation and important international and regional issues of mutual concern.

Harper paid an official visit to China from February 7 to 11 at the invitation of Premier Wen Jiabao. The tour marked Harper's second China visit since he took office in 2006

The two sides emphasized that they will strengthen their strategic partnership and implement the consensus reached in a China-Canada joint statement, Liu said.

He said China and Canada agreed to work together to maintain high-level exchanges, enhance political mutual trust, boost pragmatic cooperation and strengthen cooperation in international and regional issues.

China and Canada also signed a series of cooperative agreements in the areas of economics, energy, education, science and technology during the visit, he said.