Li to boost synergy in Europe, Asia

Attendance at regional meetings to inject cooperative momentum

Premier Li Keqiang, while attending this year's summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting, is expected to help promote initiatives for Asia and Europe to jointly counter challenges to the multilateral global system, and inject new momentum for Asian and European development, senior official says.

Zhang Jun, assistant foreign minister, spoke at a news briefing on Tuesday about Li's upcoming visits to three countries and attendance at two multilateral meetings, which will encompass nine days starting on Thursday.

Li will attend the 17th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the Tajik city of Dushanbe, make official visits to Tajikistan and the Netherlands, and attend the 12th Asia-Europe Meeting summit in Brussels during his working visit to Belgium.

While attending the SCO meeting, Li will discuss China's experience in reform and opening-up and promoting the building of an open world economy.

Leaders attending the meeting are expected to exchange views on promoting cooperation on jointly building the Belt and Road, trade and investment, production capacity and people-to-people exchanges, according to Assistant Foreign Minister Zhang Hanhui, who also spoke at the news briefing.

This will also be Li's first visit to Tajikistan and to the Netherlands as premier, Zhang said. During his visit to Tajikistan, the two countries are expected to sign cooperative documents on trade, investment, customs and regional development.

Vice-Foreign Minister Wang Chao said at the briefing that against backdrop of a worrying international trade scenario, which is posing threats to the interests of many countries, China is willing to work with the Netherlands and Belgium to upgrade cooperation in a variety of areas and enhance trade facilitation, adding that the three countries have all been relentless promoters of a rules-based multilateral trading system.

China expects to further deepen strategic communication with the Netherlands through Li's visit, Wang said. He said that during the visit, the two countries are expected to sign a number of cooperative documents on customs, aviation, energy and finance.