China calls for more practical cooperation with the Netherlands

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang holds talks with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in Beijing, capital of China, June 27, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang held talks with visiting Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte Thursday in Beijing, calling for more mutually beneficial cooperation.

Noting that the Netherlands is China's second-largest trade partner in the European Union, Li said the two countries enjoy broad cooperation prospects, and China will work with the Netherlands to enhance exchanges at all level, consolidate political mutual trust, tap the potential of cooperation, communicate and coordinate closely on international and regional affairs, and continuously upgrade bilateral relations.

In face of increasing instabilities and uncertainties in the world, China is ready to enhance the synergy of development strategies with the Netherlands, expand two-way opening-up, provide an open, transparent, and non-discriminatory business environment for enterprises from both countries, to contribute to the world economic growth, Li said.

He called for enhanced cooperation in key areas including trade, investment, innovation, clean energy, agriculture, and third-part markets, for win-win results.

Li said China attached great importance to relations with EU, and firmly supported the process of European integration.

China will work with the EU to implement the outcomes of the China-EU leaders' meeting, accelerate the investment agreement negotiation, reach a geographical indication agreement as scheduled, jointly safeguard multilateralism and free trade, promote inclusive development, and maintain peace and stability, Li said.

Rutte said Premier Li's visit to the Netherlands last year had injected new impetus to the development of bilateral relations.

Faced with the downward pressure of global economy and trade, the Netherlands is willing to make joint efforts with China to enhance cooperation, champion multilateralism and maintain international orders, Rutte said.