China hopes Uzbekistan could take measures to attract more Chinese enterprises to invest there while the Chinese government encourages them to "go out", said Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai in Beijing Tuesday.

China values the trade relations with Uzbekistan and bilateral trade volume this year is expected to increase by 80 percent compared with 2003, said Bo in a meeting with the visiting Uzbekistani Vice Prime Minister Elyar Ganiev on Tuesday.

Bo noted that China is making efforts to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state during Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Uzbekistan earlier this year. Both said the two sides could facilitate bilateral cooperation in such fields as oil, natural gas, electric appliances, irrigation, chemical industry and electricity.

The two sides should make outline on major cooperative projects for scoring substantial progress in bilateral trade cooperation, Bo said.

Ganiev appreciated China's assistance to Uzbekistan's economic development, saying the economic and trade mixed committee should play its due role in promoting bilateral trade development.

In meeting with Branko Vukelic, minister of Economy, Labor and Entrepreneurship of Croatia, Bo said China is ready to make efforts to promote China-Croatia trade relations in a balanced manner.

China will increase its investment in Croatia and enhance bilateral cooperation in service, tourism, traditional Chinese medicine, electricity and shipbuilding.

(Xinhua News Agency November 10, 2004)