China-Central & Eastern Europe Ties: Beijing, CEE countries sign agreements for further cooperation

World
Europe

02:43

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with the heads of 16 Central and Eastern European countries on Saturday in Bulgaria. Li said free trade is essential to global stability. Although the US trade war with China wasn't initially on the agenda, it was an unavoidable topic for the host country and its Chinese visitor. Our correspondent Aljosa Milenkovic reports from the Bulgarian capital Sofia.

Bulgaria's prime minister greets government leaders from 16 Central and Eastern Europe countries. Also attending the meeting Li Keqiang, the first visit by a Chinese premier in 18 years.

It was an important day for all of them here in Sofia: a number of deals to be ironed out and some fears to be dispersed.

The Chinese premier responded to claims that China and the EU are on a collision course.

LI KEQIANG CHINESE PREMIER "The truth is that there is no fundamental conflict of strategic interests between China and Europe. China stands for multilateralism, a united and prosperous Europe, a stable pole in the international landscape. We believe the world would enjoy continued peace."

The issue was addressed by Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov as host of this year's 16+1 meeting.

BOYKO BORISOV BULGARIAN PRIME MINISTER "It is not by accident that after this meeting Premier Li Keqiang will go to Berlin to meet Chancellor Merkel. Whatever we did here is very open and transparent. So I can say the following to critics: All the rules of the European Union will be fully complied within this format 16+1."

ALJOSA MILENKOVIC SOFIA, BULGARIA "Leaders of 16 Central and Eastern European countries together with Premier Li Keqiang repeatedly stressed the 16+1 format is not aimed at any one specifically, and its primary goal is actually to increase the quality of life and the GDP of those nations."

A number of agreements were signed at the meeting.

Among them the start of construction of a 150 kilometer high-speed railway in Serbia to the border with Hungary funded by China.

Premier Li also announced that China will import up to 10 million tons of tobacco from Bulgaria.

Croatia will host the next 16+1 meeting. The Croatian prime minister told CGTN there were many reasons why Croatia was chosen.

ANDREJ PLENKOVIC CROATIAN PRIME MINISTER "But most of all the signing of the construction of the Peljesac bridge which is the strategic infrastructure project for Croatia. And the fact that the tender was won by the China Road and Bridge Corporation was certainly an incentive that this decision took place."

Following the meeting in Bulgaria, Premier Li heads to Germany for talks with Chancellor Merkel. Aljosa Milenkovic, CGTN, Sofia.