Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli will visit Estonia, Slovenia, Albania, and attend meetings in Russia and Kazakhstan from April 11 to 19, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on April 5.

China’s relations with the 16 Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, among which are Estonia, Slovenia, and Albania, have grown in recent years thanks to the rapid development of the “16+1” cooperation mechanism.

Zhang will co-chair the fourth meeting of the China-Russia Investment Cooperation Committee and will meet the Russian chair of the China-Russia Energy Cooperation Committee, spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a daily press briefing.

He will also travel to Kazakhstan to attend the eighth meeting of China-Kazakhstan Cooperation Committee, according to Hua.