NANJING — Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua on July 25 urged efforts to focus on quality in the joint pursuit of the Belt and Road Initiative, promote higher level of opening-up and stabilize the overall performance of foreign trade and foreign investment.

During his inspection tour in the city of Lianyungang, East China's Jiangsu province, Hu said strengthening cooperation with countries along the Belt and Road amid current economic headwinds has a significant bearing on stabilizing economic growth and foreign trade and investment of all countries.

Hu stressed deepening industrial and supply chain cooperation with countries along the Belt and Road, strengthening market information sharing and seeking business opportunities together.

More efforts should be made to support the development of China-Europe freight trains to ensure smooth international logistics channel, the vice-premier said.

He also underlined deepening reforms and expanding opening-up to create a sound business environment, while asking local authorities to improve services to foreign-funded and foreign trade firms and ensure that enterprises fully benefit from various government relief measures.