Li meets Hungarian PM on ties, cooperation

BUDAPEST - Visiting Chinese Vice-Premier Li Keqiang and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban agreed to promote the friendly and cooperative partnership between the two countries during a talk on Tuesday.

Li said that the Sino-Hungarian relations made great headway since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1949 and have been developing fast in recent years.

The Chinese vice premier spoke highly of remarkable achievements of bilateral economic and trade cooperation and the increasing people-to-people exchanges and nongovernmental contacts between the two countries.

The high-level exchanges and pragmatic cooperation in all fields between China and Hungary will vigorously boost mutual understanding and friendship between peoples of the two countries, Li said.

Li said that China regards Hungary as an important partner in eastern and central Europe, and is willing to make joint effort with the country to promote their friendly and cooperative partnership in an all-round way.

To strengthen existing good relations between the two countries, Li made a five-point proposals:

First, efforts should be made to deepen bilateral cooperation on the basis of the two countries' common ground in development strategies.

Second, China and Hungary should expand bilateral economic and trade cooperation, which has served as a corner stone of their cooperation.

Third, the two countries should step up financial cooperation to support bilateral economic and trade cooperation. China will continue to support Hungary's efforts to overcome the influence of the European debt crisis.

Fourth, efforts should be made to boost exchanges between the two countries in the fields of education, culture and tourism, in order to strengthen the foundation for friendship between peoples of the two countries.

Fifth, China and Hungary should exchange their experience in carrying out reforms and governing the country and learn from each other.

Orban expressed warm welcome to Li's visit. Speaking highly of great achievements China has made, Orban said that the Hungary-China relations are in its best period.

Hungary appreciates China's support for its efforts to address the European debt crisis, and hopes to deepen the financial cooperation with China, Orban said.

After their talks, Li and Orban attended the signing ceremony of China-Hungary cooperation agreements in sectors such as finance, agriculture and cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises.

Li arrived in Budapest on Monday for a two-day official visit to Hungary.

The Chinese vice premier will also visit Belgium and European Union headquarters in Brussels later this week.