China, Poland eye closer economic ties

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on the sidelines of the eighth leaders' meeting between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC), in Dubrovnik, Croatia, April 12, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

DUBROVNIK, Croatia, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki here Friday, calling on both countries to step up economic cooperation.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the eighth leaders' meeting between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) held at the southern Croatian coastal city of Dubrovnik.

Calling Poland an influential country in Central and Eastern Europe, Li said China attaches great importance to developing its ties with Poland.

China stands ready to enhance political mutual trust, strategic communication and pragmatic cooperation with Poland, said Li.

He called on both sides to strengthen communication and coordination of the inter-governmental committee to intensify cooperation in areas of economy and trade, agriculture, aviation and infrastructure construction.

China is willing to expand import of good-quality Polish products, said Li, adding that China welcomes Polish enterprises to explore the Chinese market.

Li said the China-EU leaders' meeting held earlier this week in Brussels agreed that China and EU countries treat each other's enterprises under the principles of fair competition, impartiality and non-discrimination.

China pays high attention to the cooperation between China and Poland under the China-EU and China-CEEC frameworks, said the premier, encouraging Poland to further contribute wisdom and strength to the China-EU ties and China-CEEC cooperation.

Speaking highly of the rapid development of Poland-China ties, Morawiecki said Poland has always treated foreign enterprises in line with the principles of fairness and non-discrimination.

He said Poland welcomes Chinese enterprises to come and invest, expressing the hope that enterprises from both countries can establish in-depth cooperation so as to open a new chapter of bilateral economic ties.

Poland is ready to cooperate with China in areas of agriculture, furniture, cosmetics, infrastructure construction, maritime industry and culture, said Morawiecki.

He added that Poland hopes to explore third-party cooperation with China under the China-CEEC framework.