New horizon for China, Central and Eastern coopertion

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The second China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) Local Leaders' Meeting concluded in Prague on Friday, with a Chinese delegation headed by Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli having had comprehensive exchanges with leaders and delegates from the 16 countries in the region.

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli (6th, R) meets with Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka in Prague, Czech Republic, Aug. 28, 2014.

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli (6th, R) meets with Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka in Prague, Czech Republic, Aug. 28, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Chinese vice primer and Jan Hamacek, Chair of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, attended the closing ceremony.

Upon conclusion of the two-day meeting, a series of cooperation documents were signed.

Addressing the ceremony, Zhang announced that the third China-CEEC Local Leaders' Meeting will be held in Hebei Province, China, adding that the Chinese government will offer all necessary help for the meeting.

SINO-CZECH RELATIONS UPGRADED

During his stay in Prague from Wednesday to Friday, the Chinese vice premier held talks with Czech President Milos Zeman and Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka on further advancing bilateral ties and China-Europe relations.

In his meeting with Zeman, Zhang conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping's greetings to Zeman.

He said that on the basis of deepening mutual understanding and trust, Sino-Czech friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation will enter a new era of growth.

Noting that the Czech Republic was one of the first countries that recognized the new China founded in 1949, Zhang said Sino-Czech relations remain showing huge potential as both sides cherish strong motivation for cooperation in the fields of, among others, trade, investment, agriculture, technology, medical services, infrastructure and tourism.

Zhang said the Chinese government encourages domestic companies to invest in the Czech Republic and will work with the Czech government to create favorable environment for and actively promote cooperation between the two countries' companies.

Stressing Czech-Chinese relations have seen new opportunities of further growth as bilateral practical cooperation continued to make progress, Zeman said the Czech Republic is ready to work with China to further tap into the potential and expand the area of bilateral cooperation and expects more investment from Chinese companies.

Zeman pledged to use the platform of "16 plus 1 cooperation" to advance cooperation between China and the CEEC and other countries of the European Union.

Zhang's visit to the Czech Republic, the first of its kind by a senior Chinese leader in nearly five years, took place on the occasion when the two countries are marking the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

Sino-Czech relations have been picking up steam since President Xi met with Zeman in Sochi, Russia, in February when the two leaders were in the Russian resort for the Winter Olympics opening ceremony.

During the meeting, Xi said both countries should take the 65th anniversary of the forging of diplomatic ties as an opportunity to bring bilateral relations to a higher level.

While promoting the implementation of the consensus reached by both countries' top leaders on bilateral relations development, Zhang's visit to the Czech Republic has apparently given impetus to bilateral and multilateral cooperation between China and the CEEC.

Themed "Local Cooperation-Important Engine for China-CEEC Cooperation," the China-CEEC local leaders' meeting and China Investment Forum were held on Aug. 28-29.

China Investment Forum is a platform that is intended to support economic dialogue, investment flow and trade development between Europe and China. A Chinese delegation with senior officials from 15 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, took part in the international dialogues.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the second China-CEEC local leaders' meeting on Thursday, Zhang said cooperation between China and the CEEC is showing ever greater vitality and attractiveness.

The new cooperative platform of China-CEEC cooperation, also known as "16 plus 1 cooperation" since 2012, has been widely recognized by the international community and made great headway ever since.

Zhang said 2014, designated as the year of China-CEEC investment and trade promotion, has seen a China-CEEC trade promotion ministers meeting, a CEEC specialty products exhibition, and the establishment of a China-CEEC tourism cooperation coordinating center. The countries concerned are also planning to set up an association of local government heads.

Zhang said China and the 16 countries share mutual understanding and trust, high inter-complementarity among their economies and huge potential in meeting each other's need for cooperation.

He said during President Xi's recent visit to Europe, China and Europe reached consensus on developing partnership in the four areas of peace, growth, reform and civilization, which sets the direction for the expansion of cooperation between China and the CEEC.

Zhang said as a bridge connecting Asia and Europe, the countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) enjoy outstanding geographical advantages.

He called for making the best of the transport platform of China-Europe regular trains to promote construction of exclusive tariff zones and logistic distribution centers along the railway in a bid to develop a new Asia-Europe logistics artery.

The two sides could use the Mediterranean ports and the CEEC land transport network to open up new passages of combined transport by rail and sea between Asia and Europe, Zhang said.

For now, China-CEEC cooperation on large-scale projects such as construction of power stations and superhighway have made major progress.

The initial phase of 500 million U.S. dollars under the China-CEEC investment cooperation fund has started. The construction of the railway between Hungary and Serbia is going on steadily.

Advancing cooperation between China and the CEEC adapts to their common interests and the general direction of deepening the China-European Union (EU) comprehensive strategic partnership for mutual benefit, he noted.

Zhang expressed hope to strengthen cooperation in the areas of railway, highway, ports and energy, and to integrate China's growing consumption demand with the CEEC's will to expand exports by realizing the goal of boosting two-way trade volume to 100 billion U.S. dollars per year.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday offered congratulations on the holding of the second China-CEEC local leaders' meeting, which, he said, is an important consensus reached during the China-CEE countries leaders' meeting in Bucharest in November 2013.

As an important platform for China-CEE cooperation, the local leaders' meeting plays an increasingly important role in promoting local development and serving enterprises with its fast-growing influence and appeal, said Li.

The year 2014 marks the 65th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between China and some CEE countries, including the Czech Republic.

It is thus a crucial year for further development of the China-CEE cooperation as well as the beginning year for building a China-Europe partnership featuring peace, growth, reform and civilization, Li said.

Local cooperation, with its broad sphere and diversified forms, could help promote development and benefit people, he said.

The Chinese premier voiced hope that participating parties at the meeting will seize the opportunity to transform the local cooperation into an important engine for the China-CEE cooperation so as to inject fresh vitality into the traditional friendship and make new contributions to deepening the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership.

Accompanied by Jan Hamacek, Chair of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Zhang visited on Friday Skoda Auto, the largest car manufacturer in the country.

The Czech Republic is the second leg of Zhang's three-nation trip which has taken him to Turkmenistan. After the visit to Prague, Zhang travelled to Russia for an energy cooperation meeting and to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of a China-Russia natural gas pipeline.

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