The ninth summit between China and CEE countries starts online, Beijing, China, February 9, 2021. /Xinhua
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday that the successful hosting of the summit between China and Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC) has made new consensus and provided new momentum for cooperation under the new situation.
Wang made the remarks as he briefed the media following Chinese President Xi Jinping's keynote speech at the China-CEEC Summit.
A summit for cooperation
Describing the summit as an opportunity to plan for the future, Wang said the friendship between China and CEE countries was based on common development. He also noted that cooperation between the two sides is stepping up with greater integration of each other's development strategies.
Openness and inclusiveness are key to sustained vibrancy, Wang echoed Xi's words, stressing that China is ready to follow the trend of the times and work with CEE countries to explore more cooperation avenues and share development opportunities.
China-Europe freight train starts from Wuhan Central Station of China Railway Union, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, March 28, 2020. /Getty
Addressing the summit earlier, President Xi said China and CEE countries have developed some principles that are reflective of their distinctive features and accepted by all parties. He stressed the importance of making decisions through consultation, delivering benefits to all cooperation partners, pursuing common development through openness and inclusiveness, and achieving higher growth through innovation.
Wang spoke highly of the China-CEEC cooperation during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said China-CEEC mechanism plays an important role in this regard by sharing experience on pandemic control and offering medical supplies through China-Europe freight trains.
With Xi terming the China-CEEC cooperation a model for the world, Wang called on the countries to strengthen cooperation with China not only in the area of pandemic containment but also economic recovery in the post-pandemic era.
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Noting that the year 2020 marked the 45th anniversary of the establishment of China-EU diplomatic relations as well as the completion year for China-EU investment agreement negotiations, Wang said the China-CEEC Summit will be the follow-up for a series of cooperation between China and the EU.
The pandemic has accelerated changes unseen in a century, said Wang, stressing it is imperative to safeguard multilateralism and free trade to tackle the challenges jointly. The summit is a vibrant practice of multilateralism, he added.
Leaders draw future blueprint
The Chinese foreign minister also said that China and CEE countries have also reached consensus as they reviewed and reflected on their past cooperation.
Wang said that the leaders have agreed to continue advancing their cooperation that fits both interests and insists on the principle of mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation while expanding its role in facilitating cross-regional cooperation and regional development.
As led by Chinese President Xi, leaders of all countries have participated in drawing a blueprint for future China-CEEC cooperation based on their individual needs and the current international situation, Wang said.
He added that the four areas of focus are jointly fighting the pandemic, practical cooperation, interconnectivity and green innovation.
A series of measures to promote China-CEEC cooperation were also reached as an outcome of the summit as announced by Xi, covering sectors like trade, agriculture, cultural and people-to-people exchanges. Wang said that these have proved China-CEEC cooperation is practical and promising.