Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will soon pay a visit to Europe. The foreign ministry made the announcement earlier this morning in Beijing. Our correspondent Zheng Yibing has more from the press briefing.

The first foreign trip of the year for Chinese Premier will take him not far from where President Xi just visited.

WANG CHAO CHINESE VICE FOREIGN MINISTER "From April 8 to 12, Premier Li Keqiang is scheduled to attend the 21st China-EU Summit in Brussels, and the 8th Summit of China and Central and Eastern European Countries in Croatia. AND he will pay an official visit to Croatia."

The visit comes closely after Chinese president Xi Jinping's state visits to Italy, Monaco and France in late March. For this, Chinese vice foreign minister Wang Chao says that Premier Li's visit will further strengthen China's friendship with Europe.

WANG CHAO CHINESE VICE FOREIGN MINISTER "During Premier Li's stay in Brussels, he will hold talks with EU leaders Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker. They will witness the signing of a series of agreements."

WANG CHAO CHINESE VICE FOREIGN MINISTER "The trade volume between China and 16 eastern European countries surpassed 80 billion US dollars in 2018, a year-on-year increase of over 20%. The numbers are very strong amid a slowdown in global economic growth. There are broad prospects for trade cooperation. The two sides will review achievements and plan a direction for further cooperation at the 16+1 summit."

Last December, China issued its third policy document toward the EU, showing its good wishes to develop a comprehensive strategic partnership with the EU.

And on March 18, during the ninth round of China-EU High-level Strategic Dialogue in Brussels, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi and senior EU officials also agreed that the cooperation and the consensus between both sides far outweigh the competition and the differences. 

During his visits in late March, Chinese president Xi Jinping together with leaders of France, Germany and the EU sent a strong signal that China and EU will strengthen strategic mutual trust and deepen cooperation. 

ZHENG YIBING BEIJING "As the Foreign Ministry says, Premier Li's visits will further strengthen ties between China and Europe, as well as build more consensus for broader cooperation in various fields. Zheng Yibing, CGTN, Beijing."