Chinese premier vows deepened cooperation with Romania

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) and Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta attend a joint press conference after their talks in Beijing, capital of China, Sept 1, 2014. [Phott/Xinhua]

BEIJING - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang held talks with Romanian Prime Minister Victor-Viorel Ponta on Monday, with both countries vowing to push forward bilateral cooperation in energy, infrastructure and agriculture.

Li said the two sides should maximize guidance of the joint economic and trade commission, in an effort to boost bilateral economic cooperation.

He suggested both countries advance energy cooperation, including nuclear, thermal and wind power, and speed up a joint study on Bucharest to Constanta high-speed railway construction.

Ponta said China, having good technology, is very competitive in the area of infrastructure construction including energy and high-speed railway. Romania is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in these areas.

Li also called for exploration into potential technological, trade and investment cooperation in agriculture.

China and Romania will hold activities celebrating the 65th anniversary of ties in this year. They plan on establishing cultural centers in each other's country as early as possible to strengthen educational cooperation, Li said.

This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the China-Romania comprehensive partnership of friendship and cooperation. Li said the bilateral relationship is standing at a new historic point.

China is ready to work with Romania to consolidate mutual political trust, and make closer communication and coordination on global and regional affairs, he noted.

Li said the second China-Central and Eastern European (CEE) leaders' meeting held in Romania last year had achieved fruitful results.

The China-CEE cooperation in trade and investment, finance, interconnection, innovation, people-to-people exchanges and local exchanges, which was laid out in the Bucharest action guideline, has been advancing comprehensively, he said.

China and the 16 CEE countries jointly released the Bucharest action guideline on the second China-CEE leaders' meeting in 2013.

Li said the deepened cooperation between China and the CEE countries would be conducive to boosting the overall cooperation with Europe.

Ponta, on his part, said Romania is a reliable partner and friend of China in the European Union and in Central and Eastern Europe. Romania will continue to play an active role in promoting EU-China relations, and the cooperation between CEE countries and China.

The two sides also discussed other international and regional issues of common concern.

After the talks, Li and Ponta witnessed the signing of four cooperation deals covering energy, finance and infrastructure construction.

Ponta is paying an official visit to China at the invitation of Li from August 31 to September 2.