Premier Li Keqiang has met with the Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, who is in China for the 3rd Local Leaders’ Meeting of China and Central and East European Countries (CEEC) and 2nd Health Ministers Meeting Between China and CEEC.
The meeting took place on June 17 in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People.
The Premier said China had a good relationship with the Czech people, and President Xi Jinping had a successful visit to the country this year. In the principle of mutual respect and equality, he said China was willing to work with the Czech Republic to consolidate political trust and deepen all-round cooperation, especially the cooperation in civil nuclear energy and high-speed rail to drive the mutual investment.
The Premier said both countries should focus on third-party market cooperation, increase manufacturing cooperation levels, expand financial collaboration, explore to issue RMB bonds in the Czech Republic, and increase the exchange in localities, health, tourism and people to people to promote the healthy development of the strategic partnership between both countries.
He also pointed out that China had made great efforts since its accession to the World Trade Organization 15 years ago, and had fulfilled its own commitments, so the economies, including the European Union, also should carry out their promised obligations in article 15 of the protocol on China’s accession to the WTO, as scheduled. That states to stop treating China with an “Analogue Country” system when dealing with the anti-dumping issue.
He said the trading disputes between China and Europe should be solved through negotiation. It is hoped that the Czech Republic, as a member of the EU, will promote the liberalization and facilitation of trading and investment between China and Europe. It’s hoped the two sides will oppose trade protectionism together and bring more benefits to people.
Premier Li appreciated the Czech Republic’s strong support and participation in “16+1”cooperation. He stressed the China-CEEC cooperation was closely related to the China-EU relations.
The Premier said he hoped the Czech Republic, as an important partner of China, would consolidate the China-EU relations and the good development trend of “16+1”cooperation with China. It is also hoped that more mutual-benefit achievement can be made during this year’s China-EU and China-CEEC leaders meeting.
Sobotka said China-Czech relations developed fast, and practical cooperation had garnered fruitful results. “I visited China twice within 6 months and saw the relations between the two reached a new level,” he said.
He also said the Czech Republic was willing to strengthen cooperation with China in fields such as aerospace and finance. The country will also support the “16+1” cooperation and further promote the development of China-EU relations. It’s understood Czech Republic acknowledges the importance of the EU’s fulfillment of article 15 of the protocol of China’s accession to the WTO, and hopes the problem will be solved soon.
