Editor's Note

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has stepped up his trip to visit Germany, Russia, Italy and the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) headquarters from October 9 to 15. Li will also attend the 10th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in Milan from October 16 to 17.

Latest News

Chinese premier back home after Europe visit
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang returned to Beijing on Saturday morning after visits to Germany, Russia, Italy and the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) headquarters.

Chinese premier hails Hamburg's role in China-Germany cooperation
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Saturday he hopes that the German city of Hamburg, which has played a leading role

in China-Germany trade, will enhance cooperation with China in more areas.
Hamburg Summit maps out future China-Europe relations
The delegates of the sixth Hamburg Summit charted the prospects of the Sino-European economic relations, with a focus on the need to promote Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in both directions.

Li calls for further advancement of China-Germany partnership
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met in Berlin Friday with German President Joachim Gauck and expressed his wish that the two countries strive for a better future of their all-dimensional strategic partnership.

Deals on agenda as Chinese premier starts Europe trip
Up to 50 agreements on energy, finance, aerospace, railway and other fields are expected to be signed by China and Russia during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's upcoming visit, said the Russian Ambassador to China on Friday.

Chinese premier arrives in Berlin for visit
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Berlin Thursday for a three-day official visit to Germany at the invitation of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Schedule

Highlights and Achievements

October 10-11: Visit to Germany 

-Deliver a keynote speech at the sixth Hamburg Summit in Hamburg
-Co-chair the third China-Germany governmental consultation
-Attend the Seventh China-Germany Economic and Technical Cooperation Forum
-Cooperation on "Industrie 4.0"
-Sign a series of business and intergovernmental agreements and contracts
-Present a burr puzzle to German Chancellor Angela Merkel

Related news:
Chinese premier arrives in Berlin for visit
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Berlin Thursday for a three-day official visit to Germany at the invitation of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

China an important driving force for world economic recovery: Li
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Saturday in Hamburg that China is still an important driving force for world economic recovery, which would also benefit economic and trade cooperation between China and Europe.

China, Germany eye cooperation to chase fugitives, recover booties
China and Germany have agreed to join hands in the cross-border chase of fugitives and booty recovery.

Chinese premier's remarks on opening-up draws positive comments in Germany
China will stick to its opening-up policy and aims at mutual benefit and all-win results, Premier Li Keqiang said here on Friday.

October 12-13: Visit to Russia

-Meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin
-Attend the 19th regular meeting with Russian prime minister
-Present at the third Open Innovations Forum in Moscow

Related news:
Chinese premier arrives in Russia for official visit
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived here Sunday afternoon for an official visit to Russia, with a series of deals ranging from energy to people-to-people exchanges expected to be signed.

Li's visit to strengthen China-Russia practical cooperation
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's upcoming visit to Russia is expected to enhance bilateral practical cooperation with a wide array of deals ranging from energy to people-to-people exchanges to be signed.

China, Russia ink 38 deals
China and Russia signed 38 agreements on Monday covering energy, finance and transportation during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Moscow, amid Russia's push to offset the negative impacts of Western sanctions.

Chinese premier calls for joint efforts with Russia to expand cooperation
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met Russian President Vladimir Putin here on Tuesday, calling for joint efforts from both sides to expand bilateral cooperation.

October 14: Visit to Italy

-Attend official meetings with state leaders of Italy
-Sign some 20 agreements, including some important business contracts

Related news:
Chinese premier arrives in Rome for official visit to Italy
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived Tuesday for an official visit to Italy at the invitation of Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

hinese premier pledges stronger parliamentary exchanges with Italy
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met respectively with Italian Lower House President Laura Boldrini and Senate President Piero Grasso here on Wednesday, vowing to boost closer parliamentary exchanges between the two countries.

October 15: Visit FAO headquarters

-Present a speech on China's experience in agricultural policies and food security
-Mark first time for a Chinese leader to visit the FAO headquarters

Related news:
China willing to further enhance mutual support with FAO: premier
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang pledged Wednesday to further strengthen communication, coordination and mutual support with the UN food agency.

October 16-17: 10th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit

-Introduce China's peaceful development strategy and concept of "One Belt and One Road"
-Further enhancing communication and exchange between China and Europe;
-Providing Chinese wisdom and solutions to global and regional issues

Related news:
Chinese premier, French president meet on deepening ties
Visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and French President Francois Hollande met in Milan, Italy on Thursday and pledged to further deepen bilateral ties and expand cooperation.

Chinese premier meets Latvian president, Finnish PM
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with Latvian President Andris Berzins and Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb, respectively, in Milan on Friday.

Source: people.com.cn

Commentary

Oleg Formichev, Russia's Deputy Minister of Economic Development
Scientific and technological cooperation is becoming another stimulus to China-Russia relationship, Russia's Deputy Minister of Economic Development Oleg Formichev has said.

"In my opinion, high-tech transfers would be another new form of investment cooperation between the two countries," Formichev told Xinhua in an exclusive interview before Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's upcoming visit to Moscow, the first one since he took office in March last year.

Wang Yiwei, Director of the Center for European Studies at RUC    
Europe has always been a priority in China's foreign relations. 2014 can be seen as the "European Year" based on the frequency and level of visits between Chinese and European leaders.

Sino-European cooperation has reached a new level in breadth and depth this year. China formulated the second China's Policy Paper on the EU, while both China and Europe launched the "China-EU 2020 Strategic Agenda for Cooperation." Innovative partnership was also achieved during the third round of China-Germany governmental consultations.

The EU has long been China's largest trade partner and the biggest source of technological exchange. This continued cooperation shows that Sino-European relations and Sino-German relations contribute much in furthering ties between China and Western countries.

Source : Chinanews.com

Yang Yanyi, Head of the Chinese Mission to the EU
China has been devoted to strengthening exchange between Asia and Europe through Asia-Europe meetings. China also has actively offered Chinese solutions and wisdom as a participant.

Together China and Europe make up one quarter of the world's population and one third of the global economy. Sino-European relations have been of strategic significance to the world in terms of economic globalization, world polarization and information-based society. Currently, both China and Europe are making efforts to reform and develop. Both sides share common ground in many aspects. With large domestic markets, China and Europe are economically complementary and have much potential for mutual cooperation.

Source : Chinanews.com

Photos

Background Info

Trade between China and Germany has made up one third in the total share of trade between China and Europe for years. The trade volume between China and Germany totaled $117.3 billion between January and August, a year-on-year growth of 12 percent.

Economic cooperation between China and Germany have expanded to the service industry and high-tech sectors such as aerospace, electric vehicles, finance, energy conservation and environmental protection.

Sino-Russia trade volume reached $89.21 billion in 2013, making China Russia's largest trade partner for the fourth consecutive year. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a statement this May that sets bilateral trade volume to reach $100 billion in 2015 and double by 2020.

Italy has taken over the six-month rotating presidency of the EU this July. As an important EU member, Italy has its own advantages in industry, manufacturing, tourism and agriculture. Li's visit to Italy marks his second visit to southern Europe this year following his trip to Greece this June.

Source: ifeng.com

Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), first launched in 1996, is an important venue for dialogues between Asia and Europe. The ASEM, with 20 Asia-Pacific members and 31 European members, now represents half of the world's population, more than half of the world's GDP and 55 percent o f the world trade, showing the centrality of Asia-Europe relations in today's world.

Source: Xinhua

Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is an intergovernmental organization. FAO has 194 member nations, two associate members and one member organization, the European Union. Headquartered in Rome, Italy, FAO was established in 1945 and now is present in over 130 countries.

FAO has mainly three goals: the eradication of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition; the elimination of poverty and the driving forward of economic and social progress for all; and, the sustainable management and utilization of natural resources, including land, water, air, climate and genetic resources for the benefit of present and future generations.

Source: fao.org

Previous Visits

Premier Li Keqiang visits UK, Greece to boost economic cooperation
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang left Beijing on the afternoon of June 16 for an official visit to Britain and Greece from June 16 to 21, accompanied by his wife Cheng Hong.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang visits Africa
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang left Beijing on May 4, 2014, his trip to Africa will take him to Ethiopia, Nigeria, Angola and Kenya. This is the first time Li will have set foot on the continent as Premier, and also his first foreign visit this year. Ahead of the trip, Li said in an interview with African press that relations between China and Africa have entered a "golden period." Both sides have benefited from their cooperation. His entourage includes his wife Cheng Hong.

Li Keqiang leaves Beijing for visit to Romania, Uzbekistan
At the invitation of Prime Minister Victor Ponta of Romania and Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council will attend the China-Central and Eastern European Countries Summit in Romania, pay an official visit to Romania and attend the 12th Prime Ministers' Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States in Uzbekistan from November 25 to 29.

Li Keqiang starts first Southeast Asia visit
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang paid official visits to Brunei, Vietnam and Thailands from October 9 to 15, 2013, and attended 16th China-ASEAN leaders meeting, 16th ASEAN plus three summit, and 8th East Asia Summit.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang starts first foreign visit
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang Sunday made a speech about peaceful development and urged peace and order after World War II on his second day in Germany focusing mainly on boosting bilateral deals and expanding the European market, hinting at recent diplomatic moves by Japan.

Web Editor: liyingxa@globaltimes.com.cn