Chinese premier's Europe trip to yield fruitful cooperation

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will visit Germany, Russia, Italy and the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) headquarters from Oct. 9 to 15.[Special coverage]

Li will also attend the 10th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in Milan from Oct. 16 to 17, at the invitation of President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and President of the European Commission Jos Manuel Barroso.

Experts said the tour, featuring pragmatic cooperation, will comprehensively deepen China's relations with these countries, propel Asia-Europe cooperation and project China's image as a responsible country.

HIGHER LEVEL OF CHINA-GERMANY COOPERATION

"The China-Germany ties have geared up," said Cui Hongjian, a researcher at the China Institute of International Studies.

Germany, as China's biggest European partner in trade, investment and technical cooperation, is ready to establish and develop a partnership in the field of innovation with China, said German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her visit to China in July.

Next year will mark the China-Germany Year of Innovative Cooperation, during which China will participate as a partner country in CeBIT 2015 in Hanover, one of the world's largest IT fairs.

Industry informatization, finance, and aviation are expected to become new highlights of cooperation between China and Germany, said Xiong Wei, a scholar with China Foreign Affairs University.

Li will be visiting Germany for a second time since he took office in March 2013. In Berlin, the premier will co-chair the China-Germany governmental consultations with Merkel.

The two heads of government are expected to spend seven to eight hours together during Li's visit, Chinese Ambassador to Germany Shi Mingde noted.

Nearly 30 ministers from the two countries are expected to attend the consultations, during which a new roadmap for China-Germany cooperation will be drawn, said Shi.