"Cooperation important for overall China-EU ties"

"Cooperation important for overall China-EU ties"

Li Keqiang said he got the impression that everybody thinks they should make use of existing mechanisms and expand them.

Another impression he cited was that there should be focus on priorities and strengths, and as an example mentioned "the great needs of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe to develop infrastructure on the one hand, and China's manufacturing capabilities on the other."

Keqiang announced that the next summit of China and CEE countries could be held in Beijing next year, while Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic expressed the hope that today's discussions will contribute to "a better future for the region's countries and citizens."

"I am already thinking about the '17+ 1' mechanism, and it should be a symbol of our relationships. That bridge should be a means for all these countries that are very promising and that I expect next year," said the Chinese premier.

Concluding the meeting today at the Palace of Serbia, Vucic said he hoped the talks would allow finding concrete solutions for infrastructure and economic problems, to make the region's economies "sustainable."

"There is no doubt that in the future we will have better programs and plans, and there will be more. I'm sure we will find concrete solutions to our infrastructure and economic problems and that we will be able to improve the state of our economy," said Vucic.

He pointed out that he was sure that "the CEE countries with their friends from the People's Republic of China and its companies" will be able to allow their own countries "o do something better for their societies."

"It will also allow our economies in the region to be more sustainable, and this requires political stability. Everything will be done to ensure that," concluded Vucic.

Serbia's prime minister "thanked all for coming and expressed the hope that they will find a constructive solution for infrastructure and energy problems and make the region's economies sustainable."

There is no doubt that, in the future, we will have better programs and plans and that there will be more of them as well - I am certain that we can find specific solutions to our infrastructure-related and economic problems and that we will be able to improve the state our economies are in, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said, concluding the Third Summit of China and 16 Central and Eastern European nations, held at the Palace of Serbia in Belgrade on Tuesday.

He noted that he is confident that, with friends and companies from China, the Central and Eastern European nations will be able to make it possible for their countries to do something better for their societies.

At the same time, that will make it possible for our economies to become more sustainable, which requires political courage, and we will do everything to ensure that, Vucic stressed.

Prime Minister Li Keqiang aid that the cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries is crucial, not only for them, but for overall China-EU ties.

In Central and Eastern European countries, there is a desire for development of infrastructure, further development of productivity and manufacturing equipment, as well as for using Chinese reserves abroad, he said.

However, future cooperation should be diverse and proceed at several levels, he said.

We should not only be going for investments, trade, tourism and education - we must expand the platform and mechanisms of cooperation to other areas as well, the Chinese prime minister said.

The process of this cooperation must focus on priorities and advantages that suit each country, he noted.

The Chinese premier noted that he is already considering the possibility of holding the next summit in the summer palace of the last Chinese dynasty, which has "one bridge, and 17 halls."

I am already thinking about a 17+1 mechanism and it should be a symbol of our ties - the bridge should serve as a device for all these countries that hold much promise and which I expect next year, the Chinese prime minister concluded.

"China ready to asssit CEE"

Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang stated on Tuesday that China is ready to use its technology and knowledge to assist Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, primarily by contributing to creation of new jobs and infrastructure improvement.

Major challenges for all countries nowadays lie in creation of new jobs, economic restructuring, security and stability, Li said at the opening of the 3rd meeting between China and CEE countries. He added that peace is the path which needs to be pursued, and added that China supports the strategy of openness in terms of stability of all regions with a view to providing an adequate response to shared ambitions of people in the areas.

Li said that one of the goals of this cooperation lies in the construction of new corridors and development of infrastructure.

CEE countries have quality ports and highways, and if we manage to connect them, we would be able to get a continental and marine express line between China and Europe that would make room for lower costs, he said.

According to the Chinese prime minister, modernization of the Belgrade-Budapest railway section will be completed in several years' time.

We will get a modern and fast railway connection, Li said.

He stated that the list of priority goals includes improvement of infrastructure, customs benefits and development of new areas of cooperation, adding that China has the advanced technology to help achive all these goals.

China is ready to provide assistance in opening new jobs because it has the equipment and products that will make room for realization of this task, Li said.

This year, over 100 million Chinese citizens visited countries abroad and we need to draft a good plan to realize cooperation in this sector, Li said and added that China will encourage its tourist organizations to realize cooperation with their CEE colleagues and prepare an attractive offer in terms of tourist programs so that as many Chinese citizens as possible could visit the CEE countries in the time to come.

He said that China is ready to establish cooperation in a number of sectors, education being one of them.

We will try to facilitate visa procurement procedures to make cooperation easier and also to achieve a higher level of exchange of experts, Li said.

He explained that China and Europe are natural partners and noted that Europe is the region that has the largest number of countries in the world.

Li said that he is looking forward to the next year's meeting with leaders of EU countries whom he intends to inform about the cooperation between China and CEE countries.

China, CEECs sign MoU

A Memorandum of Understanding on the joint promotion of the newly-established Business Council of China and countries of the Central and Eastern Europe was signed on Tuesday at the Economic Forum in Belgrade.

The MoU was signed at Belgrade's Sava Center by Vice Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Jiang Zengwei and President of Polish Agency for Enterprise Development Bozena Lublinska-Kasprzak.

The host of the event, Serbian Economy Minister Zeljko Sertic, described the cooperation between China and CEECs as successful, noting that examples of good practice are evident in all countries.

Director of the Trade Development Bureau of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) Sun Chenghai said that the exports of goods from countries of the Central and Eastern Europe to China have increased, adding that numerous activities were undertaken with an aim to improve cooperation.

Trade fairs were organized to showcase the products offered by these countries, he specified.

Gong Yong, official of the city of Ningbo, which hosts a fair of products made in Central and Eastern Europe, said that the event brought together 182 companies and 3,500 buyers, including some of the most significant Chinese companies.

Ningbo is the second-largest port in China with the fifth-largest container turnover in the world, also known for the production of home appliances and textiles.

The volume of trade between Ningbo and CEECs totaled USD 2.3 billion last year, said Gong, and invited companies from Central and Eastern Europe to present their products to Chinese buyers at the next fair.