China, Norway eye trade, tax agreements

In telephone conversation, Premier Li hails development of bilateral ties

China stands ready to strengthen economic, trade and climate cooperation with Norway, and to push for an early conclusion to negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement and an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation, Premier Li Keqiang said on Friday.

He made the remarks during a phone conversation with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store.

Li described Norway as an important cooperative partner of China in northern Europe, and said the successful meeting between President Xi Jinping and Norwegian King Harald V in 2018 greatly pushed forward bilateral ties.

China is willing to consolidate political mutual trust and intensify mutually beneficial cooperation with Norway, respect each other and treat each other as equals, and strengthen coordination with Norway on bilateral and multilateral affairs to promote the healthy development of bilateral ties, Li said.

Noting that China is willing to increase its imports of certain agricultural and marine products from Norway, Li said China will continue to expand opening-up and remains committed to intensifying bilateral and multilateral cooperation with the northern European nation.

Store hailed the sound development of Norway-China relations and economic and trade cooperation, and said both countries have maintained close communication on multilateral occasions.

Norway upholds the one-China policy, and is willing to deepen cooperation with China in various fields, as well as strengthen bilateral cultural and people-to-people exchanges, he said. During the conversation, the two leaders also exchanged their views about the Ukraine situation.