CHONGQING — Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli met with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Yim Chhay Ly and Slovak Republic’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Peter Kazimir on May 26 in southwest China’s Chongqing city.

The guests are attending the ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) Industry Dialogue on Connectivity which begins in the city on May 27.

Meeting with Yim Chhay Ly, Zhang said China-Cambodian friendship has stood the test and has been consolidated. China is willing to work with Cambodia to implement the consensus between the two countries’ leaders, he said.

The two countries should maintain high-level contact, push forward economic cooperation, further people-to-people exchanges so as to deepen comprehensive strategic cooperation, achieve common development and progress and better benefit the two peoples, according to Zhang.

Zhang said China attaches high importance to cooperation with Cambodia in connectivity, welcomes Cambodia to actively participate in construction of the “Belt and Road Initiative”.

The Cambodian deputy prime minister said Cambodia appreciates China’s support and assistance to the country’s economic and social development. Cambodia is ready to deepen pragmatic cooperation with China in various fields under the “Belt and Road” framework.

When meeting with Kazimir, Zhang hailed the results of the Sino-Slovak ties, called on the two sides to enhance overall planning, turn bilateral cooperation to a type of cooperation driven by both trade and investment, make breakthrough in major projects cooperation, explore new area of finance cooperation and push forward innovative technology cooperation.

China is willing to work with the Slovak side in promoting China-Europe cooperation as well as cooperation between China and the central and eastern European countries, Zhang said, noting that China and the central and eastern European countries including the Slovak Republic can make joint efforts in promoting Asia-Europe connectivity and construction of the “Belt and Road Initiative”.

Kazimir said the Slovak side attaches high importance to promoting relations with China, is ready to work with China to enhance pragmatic cooperation in infrastructure, finance and other fields.

The ASEM Industry Dialogue on Connectivity will be held in Chongqing from May 27 to 28, with the theme of “Advancing Asia-Europe Connectivity Through Innovation.”

Zhang will attend and address the opening ceremony.

The dialogue was proposed by Premier Li Keqiang at the 10th ASEM Summit in 2014 in Italy. Connectivity has been one of the important fields of cooperation highlighted by ASEM leaders in recent years.