New horizon for China, Central-Eastern Europe coopertion (3)

He called for making the best of the transport platform of China-Europe regular trains to promote construction of exclusive tariff zones and logistic distribution centers along the railway in a bid to develop a new Asia-Europe logistics artery.

The two sides could use the Mediterranean ports and the CEEC land transport network to open up new passages of combined transport by rail and sea between Asia and Europe, Zhang said.

For now, China-CEEC cooperation on large-scale projects such as construction of power stations and superhighway have made major progress.

The initial phase of 500 million U.S. dollars under the China-CEEC investment cooperation fund has started. The construction of the railway between Hungary and Serbia is going on steadily.

Advancing cooperation between China and the CEEC adapts to their common interests and the general direction of deepening the China-European Union (EU) comprehensive strategic partnership for mutual benefit, he noted.

Zhang expressed hope to strengthen cooperation in the areas of railway, highway, ports and energy, and to integrate China's growing consumption demand with the CEEC's will to expand exports by realizing the goal of boosting two-way trade volume to 100 billion U.S. dollars per year.

CONGRATULATIONS FROM CHINESE PM

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday offered congratulations on the holding of the second China-CEEC local leaders' meeting, which, he said, is an important consensus reached during the China-CEE countries leaders' meeting in Bucharest in November 2013.

As an important platform for China-CEE cooperation, the local leaders' meeting plays an increasingly important role in promoting local development and serving enterprises with its fast-growing influence and appeal, said Li.

The year 2014 marks the 65th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between China and some CEE countries, including the Czech Republic.

It is thus a crucial year for further development of the China-CEE cooperation as well as the beginning year for building a China-Europe partnership featuring peace, growth, reform and civilization, Li said.

Local cooperation, with its broad sphere and diversified forms, could help promote development and benefit people, he said.

The Chinese premier voiced hope that participating parties at the meeting will seize the opportunity to transform the local cooperation into an important engine for the China-CEE cooperation so as to inject fresh vitality into the traditional friendship and make new contributions to deepening the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership.

Accompanied by Jan Hamacek, Chair of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Zhang visited on Friday Skoda Auto, the largest car manufacturer in the country.

The Czech Republic is the second leg of Zhang's three-nation trip which has taken him to Turkmenistan. After the visit to Prague, Zhang travelled to Russia for an energy cooperation meeting and to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of a China-Russia natural gas pipeline.