First High-Level Think Tank Symposium of China-CEE Countries held in Beijing

The first High-Level Symposium of China and Central and Eastern European Countries is held in Beijing on Dec. 19.(By Chen Lin)

The first High-Level Symposium of China and Central and Eastern European Countries is held in Beijing on December 19. The symposium is attended by Chinese political and foreign affairs officers, state-owned and private enterprises leaders, scholars, and current and former political leaders, entrepreneurs and scholars from 16 Central and Eastern European countries.

As the first step of implementation of the Bucharest Guidelines for Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries adopted during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit to the region last month, the symposium aims at boosting and deepening the cooperation between China and CEE countries.

Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi delivers the opening speech and says that as China and CEE countries have advantages in different areas respectively, they can complement each other in many areas such as economy, education, environment protection, culture and so on. "I propose that we cooperate based on consensus and mutual benefits. We are confident in exploring progressive and constructive new cooperation measures and mode with innovative discussion and suggestion," Yang says.

Former Croatian President Stjepan Mesic says at the opening ceremony: "The cooperation should be built on two censuses. First, the foundation is mutual benefits. The fact that some countries have not joined European Union yet should not serve as an obstacle for our cooperation. Secondly, any economic cooperation that can help achieve our domestic goals and increase employment rate should not be limited." He also calls on CEE countries to make full use of this opportunity as China tries to regularize bilateral communication activities.

The symposium will hold three forums themed China-CEE relationship, prospect of future cooperation in business, trade, energy, infrastructure, agriculture and tourism, and influence of cultural exchanges in cooperation.