China pledges stronger cooperation with Central, Eastern Europe

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi pledged on Tuesday to further strengthen cooperation with Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries.

He made the pledge while meeting with CEE participants attending the third coordinators' meeting of China-CEE cooperation. Representatives of China and 16 CEE countries as well as their diplomats in China attended the meeting.

Wang called for integrating the China-CEE cooperation with the development strategies of respective countries, the overall development of China-Europe ties and initiatives of major global cooperation, such as building a Silk Road economic belt and a 21st-century maritime Silk Road.

CEE participants said they believe CEE-China win-win cooperation would achieve greater progress in the future.

Addressing the coordinators' meeting, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Chao suggested that China and CEE countries continue to play the role of high-level exchanges in boosting cooperation, and expand two-way investment and trade in key areas, such as infrastructure and transport logistics.

During Chinese President Xi Jinping's trip to Europe in March, Xi proposed that China and Europe build four "bridges" of peace, growth, reform and progress of civilization to step up friendship and cooperation.

"This has clarified future direction and injected vitality to China-CEE cooperation," Wang said.

CEE participants expressed their hope to further cement cooperation with China in such areas as trade, investment, infrastructure, transport logistics, finance, agriculture, energy and culture.

http://www.ecns.cn/voices/2014/05-14/113882.shtml