28 Nov, 2013
China Proposes Easier Travel, Visas with Central and Eastern Europe states
BUCHAREST, Nov.26 (Xinhua) — Chinese Premier Li Keqiang made a six-point proposal Tuesday on deepening cooperation with Central and Eastern European (CEE) nations while attending a China-CEE leaders’ meeting.
First, he said China and CEE countries should intensify economic and trade cooperation, doubling China-CEE trade volume in five years and discussing a framework agreement for industrial investment in the near future.
Second, China and CEE countries should promote cooperation on transportation infrastructure to open up interconnected land and sea channels between China and Europe. China and CEE nations will also build a transport “artery” for China-Europe logistics by setting up bonded areas and distribution centers along railways and ports.
Third, China and CEE nations should enhance “green cooperation.” China backs its enterprises to participate in the CEE nuclear electricity projects and hopes that the host countries would improve investment environment.
Fourth, China and CEE countries should expand financing channels. They need to make good use of the 10-billion-U.S.-dollar special credit line and enhance financial cooperation by setting up branches of financial institutions in each other’s markets, signing currency swap and settlement agreements.
Fifth, China and CEE countries should further tap into potentials of cooperation at local levels to efficiently and effectively promote their cooperation.
Sixth, China and CEE countries should enhance cultural exchanges by holding regular forums on culture and education, strengthening communication between young politicians, think-tanks and media as well as facilitating procedures for travel and work visa.
The summit, co-chaired by Li and Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta, came on the heels of last week’s China-EU summit in Beijing, which unveiled a landmark agreement to increase two-way investment flows.
Li began his Romania trip on Monday and he was the first Chinese premier to visit the country in 19 years. It was also his first visit to the central and eastern Europe since he took office in March.
During the summit, the Chinese premier highlighted a solid foundation for expanding cooperation between China and the CEE countries, as they have developed a deep traditional friendship without conflicting interests.
He said cooperation between China and the CEE nations is transparent, open and inclusive, which is in the interest of all countries concerned, and will play a positive and constructive role in deepening the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership.
He stressed that China attaches great importance to its relations with the CEE countries, and is willing to work with them to explore new ways and mechanisms for cooperation, implement the Bucharest action guideline, and advance China-CEE cooperation to the next level.
Li listed three major principles of cooperation between China and CEE countries. First, they should seek mutual benefits and common development, by seizing opportunities from each other’s development and providing impetus for development through opening up and cooperation.
Second, they should equally treat each other with mutual respect, by taking into account each other’s core interests and major concerns, and respecting the development path chosen on their own.
Third, they should seek balanced development and cultivate more growth points for economy from cooperation.
Li pointed out that the recently concluded Third Plenary Session of the 18th Communist Party of China Central Committee has charted a new course for China to comprehensively deepen reform.
“Facts will demonstrate that the more successful China’s reform is and the more open China is, the more the world and Europe will benefit from China’s development,” said Li.
Hailing the summit as a starting point, Li said China and CEE countries should open a new chapter for cooperation, thus advancing China-Europe ties and promoting world prosperity.
Leaders of the 16 CEE countries welcomed the strategic framework of cooperation proposed by the Chinese premier, saying that it sets the direction for the cooperation between China and the CEE countries.
They noted that China and the CEE countries have similar experience and are at a crucial stage for development, adding that the China-CEE ties stand at the best development point in history and their cooperation is of strategic significance.
They said they value the traditional friendship with China, admire China’s development achievements and believe that China’s further reform and opening-up will bring broader prospects for China-CEE cooperation.
They expressed willingness to work together with China to push forward the cooperation in areas including trade, investment, infrastructure inter-connectivity, energy, finance and environment protection with a broader vision and a more active attitude so as to realize common development and inject vigor into China-Europe relations.
After the summit, China and the 16 CEE countries jointly released the Bucharest action guideline.
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