SOFIA — Premier Li Keqiang met here on July 7 with Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar. The two sides agreed to enhance pragmatic cooperation under the framework of the 16+1 cooperation mechanism.

During the meeting, Premier Li said that China-Slovenia friendship and cooperation has seen rapid and steady development.

China welcomes Slovenia to participate in the first China International Import Expo, which is due to take place later this year in Shanghai, and hopes to strengthen cooperation with the Slovenian side in the field of medicine, he said.

The Chinese side supports its competitive household electrical appliances enterprises to invest and build factories in Slovenia, encourages Chinese citizens to travel there and hopes to expand aviation cooperation with the European country, said the Premier.

He said China has always promoted the 16+1 cooperation in accordance with the principle of mutual respect and equality among all nations, big or small.

Premier Li said that the 16+1 cooperation cannot do without a free and open international economic and trade environment.

“China is willing to work with the Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) to safeguard free trade and multilateralism, promote trade liberalization and facilitation so as to contribute to the 16+1 cooperation and a sustained and stable global economic recovery,” said the Premier.

Cerar lauded the traditional bilateral friendship, saying that pragmatic cooperation between the two countries has been constantly enhanced under the framework of the 16+1 cooperation and Belt and Road Initiative, with a steady growth of bilateral trade and the realization of mutual benefit and win-win results.

Slovenia hopes to participate in the China International Import Expo and continue to beef up cooperation with China in the fields of medicine, household appliances, aviation and tourism, said Cerar.