Yang Yanyi (1st R), Chinese ambassador to the EU, delivers a speech at the 112th Plenary Session of the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels, Belgium, June 4, 2015. The head of the Chinese Mission to the European Union (EU) said on Thursday that she expected China and the EU to strengthen cooperation in cities and regions. (Xinhua/Zhou Lei)

BRUSSELS, June 4 (Xinhua) -- The head of the Chinese Mission to the European Union (EU) said on Thursday that she expected China and the EU to strengthen cooperation in cities and regions.

Yang Yanyi, Chinese ambassador to the EU, made the remarks at the 112th Plenary Session of the European Committee of the Regions. She was the first Chinese Ambassador to address the local and regional leaders from across Europe.

"China's development agenda and the EU's re-launching of the process of structural reforms to build the medium-term growth potential compliment each other and will create broader converging interest and generate greater market, investment and cooperation opportunities," she said.

She noted that according to the latest figure, between January and April this year, Europe's investment in China grew by 20 percent year-on-year and China's investment in Europe saw a five-time increase.

"China's new normal and its comprehensive reform and opening up augur well for Europe," she said, adding that the two sides should seize the opportunity to broaden and deepen China-EU Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace, growth, reform and civilization, especially in the field of ICT and regional cooperation.

China is speeding up the development of such schemes as "broadband China" and "smart cities" to galvanize hinterland development, promote urban-rural integration and gradient development of different regions, and bring about a synchronized progress of the new type of industrialization, IT application, urbanization, agricultural modernization and green development, according to the ambassador.

She stressed that China and the EU should strive to combine the strengths and advantages of the EU's high-tech with China's huge market to maximize the benefits of cooperation.

"To expand China-EU urbanization cooperation, we will promote with European cities and regions managerial experience in sustainable urban development planning, management and urban-rural integration," she said.

Yang added that China will work together with European cities and regions to improve infrastructure relating to urban development such as energy, transportation, telecommunication, environment, housing, industrial layout, public services, application of green technology and protection of the ecological environment.

The ambassador foresaw a bright future of China-EU regional cooperation. "We will vigorously promote cooperation on smart city, low-carbon city, eco-city and smart energy programs, focusing particularly on ICT, 5G and green and low-carbon development," she said.