Baghdad, Beijing to boost trade ties

BEIJING - China and Iraq consolidated their trade ties on Monday with the two signing agreements on economic cooperation and personnel training to give a hand to the Middle East nation's war-torn economy.

The agreements were made as Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki met his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao at the Great Hall of the People.

Maliki's China trip, which will end on Thursday, is the first visit to the country by an Iraqi prime minister since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1958.