Li calls for all-dimensional co-op with CEE countries

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday urged Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries to strive with China for all-dimensional, wide-ranging and multi-tier cooperation. [Special coverage]

China and CEE countries are all emerging-market economies at similar phases of development, and they are all faced with the urgent task of restructuring their economies, innovating, and promoting competitiveness, Li said here when addressing the third China-CEE economic and trade forum.

Thus cooperation between China and CEE countries enjoys abundant opportunities and great potential, said Li, noting that their trade has withstood the impact of the international financial crisis and the European debt crisis and their practical cooperation has been brimming with vigor and vitality.

With the international economic situation undergoing profound and complex changes, China and CEE countries need to explore new ways to deepen their practical cooperation and expand their common interests, he added.

By doing so, Li said, China and CEE countries can beef up their cooperation in an all-dimensional, wide-ranging and multi-tier manner and accomplish all-win common development.

The premier proposed that China and CEE countries dedicate the next year to promoting trade and investment and work together to double their trade in five years.

China will host a series of programs, including a roundtable meeting of Chinese and CEE trade ministers and an exhibition of CEE products to accelerate the growth of China-CEE trade, Li said.

Beijing stands ready to increase the imports of competitive CEE products and encourage more Chinese tourists to visit CEE countries, added the Chinese premier.

Meanwhile, Li called for the launching of a number of large infrastructure projects, proposing to combine China's relatively mature and full-fledged industry of equipment manufacturing and the needs of CEE countries for infrastructure improvement.

In that way, China and CEE countries can steadily expand the scope and raise the level of their practical cooperation, said Li, adding that priority areas include high-speed and regular railway, nuclear and other forms of power, road, port and telecommunications.

The premier also suggested that China and CEE countries make full use of relevant financing mechanisms and encourage their financial institutions to set up branches in each other's jurisdictions and enlarge the scale of currency swap and local currency settlement.

Moreover, Li proposed that China and CEE countries boost corporate investment cooperation, work out a framework agreement on industrial investment, and rev up cooperation between Chinese and CEE small- and medium-sized enterprises.

He urged the governments, enterprises, think tanks and media of China and CEE countries to play their unique roles and work together to push China-CEE cooperation further forward more rapidly and steadily.

The premier stressed that China's development cannot be separated from cooperation with other countries, and the world's prosperity and stability need a growing and advancing China.

Although the global economic recovery remains anemic and the Chinese economy once encountered increasing downward pressure, China has adhered to the approach of pursing improvement on the basis of maintaining stability and endeavored to stimulate market vitality and corporate creativity.

China, added the premier, is fully confident in realizing the major goals of this year's socio-economic development and thus laying a solid foundation for the economic growth next year.

As the recently-held third plenary session of the 18th Communist Party of China Central Committee mapped out a comprehensive reform plan, China will further expand the scope of its opening-up, allow the market to play a decisive role in resource allocation, and realize a more efficient, balanced and sustainable development, Li said.

China is willing to share with Europe and the world the opportunities for common development, he said, adding that as long as China and CEE countries stick to the principles of mutual benefit, common development, mutual respect and equality, their cooperation will become increasingly promising and fruitful.

Li's Romanian counterpart, Victor Ponta, and 12 other CEE prime ministers attended the event at the palace of parliament, which drew more than 1,000 government officials and business leaders.

In his remarks to the forum, Ponta noted that CEE-China economic and trade cooperation is quite fruitful and laid a robust foundation for the development of CEE-China relations.

CEE countries, he added, will further improve their investment environment and promote their partnership and cooperation with China, so as to facilitate the sustainable development of both China and CEE countries.

CEE-China cooperation is an important component of Europe-China ties, and is conducive to the development both of Europe and of the Europe-China relationship, Ponta said.

CEE countries and China should seize the opportunities, respect and learn from each other, and work together to lift CEE-China cooperation and the Europe-China relationship to higher levels.

Following the forum, Li and leaders of 16 CEE countries visited an exhibition of China Railway Corporation and other infrastructure constructors and equipment manufacturers.

In front of a 21-meter-long model of Chinese high-speed train, which drew the interest of the CEE leaders, Li said that with mature high-speed rail technologies and rich construction experiences, China has marked competitive advantages and is fully capable of coping with different national conditions and meeting various market needs.

Infrastructure and equipment manufacturing constitute a pillar of China-CEE win-win cooperation, said Li, adding that the Chinese and CEE governments have the responsibility to foster a favorable environment for their enterprises to tap further into their potential and strengthen win-win cooperation.

Also on Tuesday, Li and leaders of 16 CEE countries attended the second China-CEE leaders' meeting.

Romania is the first leg of Li's ongoing two-nation foreign trip, which also includes an official visit to the CEE country.

Later he will travel to the Uzbek capital of Tashkent for a prime ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.