Eritrean President Issayas Aferwerki said Tuesday in Nanjing that he felt at home while visiting a military college he studied at 38 years ago in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province.

Issayas said the Nanjing Army Command College, where he studied between November 1966 and October 1967, had changed beyond his recognition.

"It's good to be back home, though. I feel at home," Issayas said, adding that he was amazed by the tremendous changes taking place in China.

Apart from the well-known military academy, Issayas also toured the Nanjing Brocade Research Institute and the Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Deputy Governor Jiang Dingzhi briefed him on the economic and social development of Jiangsu.

Issayas said he had come up with many new ideas after seeing the huge progress China had achieved. The two countries should strengthen cooperation "in all possible areas," he said.

Issayas began this state visit to China on Thursday at the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao. This trip has brought him to Beijing, Xi'an and Nanjing. He'll fly to Shenzhen, an economic hub in south China's Guangdong Province, soon.