On November 22, 2013, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a briefing for Chinese and foreign media. Vice Foreign Minister Song Tao and Assistant Minister of Commerce Zhang Xiangchen introduced the background for Premier Li Keqiang's attendance of China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) Summit and his official visit to Romania and answered the questions raised by Chinese and foreign journalists.
I. Premier Li Keqiang's Attendance of China-CEEC Summit
Song Tao stressed that China-CEEC cooperation is a new form of cooperation for the development of bilateral relations between China and the 16 CEE countries and a new measure for the continuous and deepening development of China-Europe relations. This cooperation fits the development characteristics and the cooperation needs of China and CEE countries and is in line with the common aspirations and interests of the people; therefore it is vigorous and attractive. China and CEE countries enjoy profound traditional friendship and long-lasting cooperation and are at a similar level of development. China, as the biggest developing country, is developing an upgraded version for the Chinese economy and will usher in a new round of reform and opening up. CEE countries are "emerging powers" for Europe's economic development. Therefore, the cooperation between China and CEE countries is distinctively featured by mutually-beneficial and win-win cooperation.
Song Tao pointed out that China-CEEC cooperation is at a critical starting and ascending period and is faced with the task of further expansion and deepening. The prime ministers of the 17 countries will be gathered together in Bucharest to jointly draw a blueprint for the future development of China-CEEC cooperation, which will produce enormous political impetus and guiding force for China-CEEC cooperation. In addition to the Leaders' Meeting, Premier Li Keqiang will attend and speak at the 1+16 Roundtable and the Third China-CEE Economic and Trade Forum. He will meet respectively with the participating prime ministers of CEE countries. The Leaders' Meeting will center on the theme of "win-win cooperation and common development" and identify that China-CEEC cooperation is part of China-Europe cooperation. The meeting will recognize the significance of China-CEEC cooperation, specify the principles of cooperation and develop cooperation plans. The meeting will announce major cooperation initiatives and set the direction for future cooperation. After the meeting, a high-level outcome document will be issued. During the bilateral meetings with the prime ministers of other 15 CEE countries than Romania, Premier Li and the leaders will discuss the cooperation between China and CEE countries in nuclear power, railway, thermal power, pumped storage power plants, agriculture, cement, building materials and other fields.
Song Tao said that China believes that with the concerted efforts of all parties, China-CEEC Summit will be successful and productive. It will further enhance the confidence of the 16 CEE nations to seek cooperation and common development with China, further upgrade the level of China-CEEC cooperation, and turn China-CEEC cooperation into new growth highlights for China-Europe cooperation.
II. The Third China-CEE Economic and Trade Forum
Zhang Xiangchen said that as an important event during Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Romania, the Ministry of Commerce is working with the Romanian side to prepare for the Third China-CEE Economic and Trade Forum. Premier Li Keqiang and Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta will attend and speak at the forum. The theme of the Forum is "win-win cooperation and common development". The entrepreneurs of the two sides from energy, transport, chemicals, engineering contracting, communication, agriculture, tourism, trade and other sectors will attend the forum.
Zhang Xiangchen pointed out that the economic and trade relations between China and CEE countries are progressing smoothly. First, bilateral trade has been growing steadily. From January to October this year, the trade volume reached $45.4 billion and increased on a year-on-year basis. Second, mutual investment continues to expand. The investment from Chinese enterprises in Central and Eastern Europe has exceeded $3.5 billion and the investment from the 16 CEE countries in China has surpassed $1.1 billion. Third, infrastructure cooperation is becoming a new highlight for China-CEEC cooperation. A series of projects using the loans from China have been successfully launched, including the construction of a bridge over the Danube river and connecting roads in Belgrade, the Phase-I revitalization of the Kostolac thermoelectric power plant and the construction of a new thermal power plant in Stanari, Bosnia and Herzegovina and a series of cooperation projects are being actively discussed.
III. Premier Li Keqiang's Visit to Romania
Song Tao said that this visit is Premier Li's first visit to a CEE country since he took office as the premier and the first visit to Romania by a Chinese premier in the past 19 years. Therefore it is of great significance to China-Romania bilateral relations, to China-CEEC cooperation and to China-Europe relations. In recent years, the bilateral relations between China and Romania have maintained a good momentum of development, with frequent high-level exchanges and increasing exchanges in various fields. China hopes that this visit could further consolidate and deepen the traditional friendship, enhance political mutual trust, push pragmatic cooperation in economy, trade, investment, culture and other fields to achieve positive results, and boost the comprehensive development of China-CEEC cooperation and China-Europe relations.
During the visit, Premier Li will meet with Romanian President Traian Basescu, President of the Senate Crin Antonescu, President of the Chamber of Deputies Valeriu Zgonea, and Prime Minister Victor Ponta and have an in-depth exchange of views with them on such topics as the Sino-Romanian relations, China-CEEC cooperation and China-Europe relations. In addition, Li Keqiang will be invited to deliver a speech at the Romanian Parliament, focusing on China's proposals and visions for the development of bilateral relations and the deepening of bilateral pragmatic cooperation.
Talking about the bilateral economic and trade relations between China and Romania, Zhang Xiangchen said that the bilateral trade and economic cooperation is stable and smooth in general. From January to October this year, the bilateral trade volume reached $3.27 billion. Romania is one of the largest investment destinations for China among the CEE countries. According to the statistics of the Ministry of Commerce, China has invested more than $160 million in Romania as of now. The two sides also see a broad prospect for cooperation in the field of energy and other infrastructure areas. The Chinese enterprises have invested in or contracted a number of photovoltaic and wind power projects in Romania. He expressed the belief that with the concerted efforts of the two sides, the economic and trade cooperation between China and Romania will be able to reach a new level.
