BUCHAREST — China and Romania have agreed to expand their pragmatic cooperation during a visit by Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli to the Central Eastern European country.

The two countries have always respected each other’s development road and attached great importance to each other’s core interests and major concerns ever since they forged diplomatic ties 65 years ago, said Zhang while meeting Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta on Sept 23 in New York on the sideline of the UN climate change summit.

Zhang Gaoli (2nd L), vice-premier and President Xi Jinping’s special envoy, meets with Romanian Prime Minister Victor-Viorel Ponta (2nd R) on the sidelines of the United Nations Climate Summit in New York Sept 23, 2014.[Photo/Xinhua]

Bilateral ties have enjoyed a solid political foundation, said Zhang.

He said the exchange of visits by Premier Li Keqiang and Ponta in the past year had fully manifested the specialty and high-level development of their relations.

Saying bilateral ties have entered a new stage, Zhang urged the two sides to work out a new road map to emphasize the direction and highlights in the future development of ties.

Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli (5th R) holds talks with Romanian First Deputy Prime Minister Liviu Dragnea (5th L) in Bucharest, capital of Romania, Sept 25, 2014.[Photo/Xinhua]

Efforts should be made to expand pragmatic cooperation and explore cooperation potentials in bilateral ties, he added.

Ponta hailed the solid foundation of the Romanian-Chinese relations, saying Romania had attached great importance to cooperation with China and more efforts would be made to enhance their links.

Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli (L) holds talks with Romanian First Deputy Prime Minister Liviu Dragnea in Bucharest, capital of Romania, Sept 25, 2014.[Photo/Xinhua]

During talks with First Deputy Prime Minister Liviu Dragnea on Sept 25 in Bucharest, Zhang said this year marked the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Romania and the 10th anniversary of their comprehensive friendly and cooperative partnership.

China would like to work hard together with Romania to take the bilateral friendly ties and mutual-beneficial cooperation to a new height, Zhang said.

Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli (L) meets with Romanian Deputy Prime Minister Gabriel Oprea in Bucharest, capital of Romania, Sept 25, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua]

Zhang lauded the China-Romania energy cooperation in carbon-, hydro- and nuclear-electricity as achieving important progress.

He called for efforts to promote cooperation between the two countries in infrastructure construction, such as in highway and high-speed rail building.

Zhang also encouraged cooperation between enterprises focusing on farm products and called for more farm product export from Romania to China.

Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli (R front) meets with Romanian Deputy Prime Minister Gabriel Oprea in Bucharest, capital of Romania, Sept 25, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua]

He urged both sides to boost exchanges and cooperation in education, between the young people, and in celebrating the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, to enhance mutual understanding. On the same day, Zhang also met with Romanian Deputy Prime Minister Gabriel Oprea and President of the Chamber of Deputies Valeriu Stefan Zgonea.

Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli (R) meets with Valeriu Stefan Zgonea, President of the Chamber of Deputies of Romania in Bucharest, capital of Romania, Sept 25, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Romanian leaders expressed hopes to further deepen cooperation with China in energy, communication, agriculture and education. They pledged that Romania would play an active role to boost Europe-China relations as well as cooperation between Central and Eastern European countries and China.

The two sides also exchanged views on each other’s growth strategies, investment environment, urbanization, rural area development and environment protection.

Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli meets with Valeriu Stefan Zgonea, President of the Chamber of Deputies of Romania in Bucharest, capital of Romania, Sept 25, 2014.[Photo/Xinhua]

When meeting Zgonea, Zhang said his visit to Romania offered him a chance to get a personal experience of the friendliness of the Romanian people toward China.

He said China would like to work with Romania to enhance exchanges and cooperation between their legislatures.

Zgonea said Romania had always been and would remain a trustworthy friend of China, vowing to further the cooperation between the Romanian and Chinese legislatures to make greater contribution to bilateral friendly ties, and trade and economic cooperation.