TUNIS, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- China has made great and miraculous achievements thanks to its visionary policies, Tunisian Minister of Youth and Sports and interim Minister of Health Sonia Ben Sheikh has said.

The Chinese government "pays attention to the development of young people, encourages market competition and has long-term plans for future development," Ben Sheikh told Xinhua in a recent interview.

The minister expressed her admiration for China's success, especially after her trip to China where she led the Tunisian group to attend the FIBA Basketball World Cup in August.

"I went to some cities like Beijing and Guangzhou and I felt that they are so large and developed," said Ben Sheikh, adding that "the achievements you (Chinese people) have made, the real development and the tremendous changes year after year are surprising."

The minister attributed China's success to the right policies implemented by the Chinese government. "I am not trying to praise China deliberately, but the rapid development of China is really amazing."

She highlighted China's medical assistance as part of the most fruitful bilateral cooperation between the two countries. "Chinese doctors can always quickly adapt to the needs and the general atmosphere in Tunisia, particularly to the specificities of Tunisian patients."

China has been sending its medical teams to Tunisia since 1973, Ben Sheikh recalled, adding that the fruitful partnership between Tunisia and China is still leading to a lot more prosperity.

The University Hospital in Sfax city in southeastern Tunisia, supported by the Chinese government and to be inaugurated in November, is a strategic project for southern Tunisia and a real national asset, Ben Sheikh said.

"In October 2019, we will also sign with the Chinese side a feasibility report on a second health project," the minister added.

When talking about youth and sports, she said "the Menzah Sports and Cultural Center in central Tunis which was supported by the Chinese government continues to be a pride for all Tunisians."

The first stone of the Sports and Cultural Center for Youth in Ben Arous in the southern suburbs of Tunis, a second similar project, "was laid recently in the presence of the head of government and the Chinese ambassador," she added.