BUDAPEST — China is willing to work with Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) to make China-CEEC cooperation a model of regional cooperation that advocates win-win cooperation, safeguards multilateralism, and tackles common challenges, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in Budapest on July 12.

Wang made the remarks when meeting the press after holding talks with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto.

China and CEECs have built an all-round, multi-level and wide-ranging cooperation platform and achieved rapid and comprehensive development because their cooperation meets their development needs and is based on equality, openness, pragmatic approach, innovation and win-win results, having opened a new channel for China-Europe cooperation, which is conducive to promoting Europe’s overall and balanced development, and is gaining the support of European nations, Wang said.

As the host of the China-CEEC leaders’ meeting next year, China is willing to take this opportunity to work with friends from CEECs to enhance and upgrade China-CEEC cooperation, add new content to and open up new prospects for it, said the Chinese top diplomat.

Szijjarto said his country attaches great importance to China-CEEC cooperation, and believes that the cooperation platform serves China and Hungary’s common interests as well as those of CEECs and other European nations.

He refuted the allegation that China-CEEC cooperation splits Europe, stressing that any country has the right to carry out friendly and mutually-beneficial cooperation with other countries on the basis of its national and regional interests, and CEECs’ will to cooperate with China should be respected.

Hungary is willing to continue to actively participate in and play a constructive role in China-CEEC cooperation, he said.