Premier Li: China a firm supporter of European integration

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang speaks at a news conference in the National Library in Riga, Latvia, Nov 5, 2016. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Premier Li Keqiang reiterated that China has been a firm supporter of the European integration process all along and welcomes a prosperous and stable Europe at a news conference on Saturday in the Latvian capital Riga.

Li said this at the conference with Latvian Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis and Hungarian Prime Minister Orban Viktor, which explained the outcomes of the Fifth Summit of China and Central and Eastern European Countries at the National Library in Riga.

Premier Li said that the summit was held in the context of sluggish world recovery, weak trade growth and the new, complicated evolution of global and regional hotspot issues. The summit sent a positive message of world peace and stability to the world, enhancing trade liberalization and investment facilitation and advancing the globalization process. China-CEE cooperation, a trans-regional cooperation between the world's biggest developing country and emerging economies of the CEE region, is conducive to upholding the world trade system and promoting balanced and inclusive development of the world economy.

Premier Li stressed that China's development requires a peaceful and stable international environment. China-CEE cooperation not only offers peace and stability of the CEE region but also contributes to balanced development of Europe as a whole. "16+1" cooperation is an integral part of and a helpful complement to China-Europe cooperation.

Premier Li pointed out that both China and CEE countries are in the process of industrialization or re-industrialization. Greater synergy should be fostered between China's Belt and Road initiative and the development strategies of CEE countries through enhancing production capacity cooperation. Decades of industrialization efforts have sharpened China's competitive edge in infrastructure development, equipment and industrial manufacturing, which put China in a solid position to participate in the infrastructure development of CEE countries.

China will help meet the needs of CEE countries for development and re-industrialization by supplying cost-effective products and contributing to regional connectivity. By drawing on each other's strengths, the two sides can achieve greater outcomes, deliver more benefits to people of the "16+1" countries and make new contributions to world peace and development.