Beijing seeks to cooperate with Moscow 'on larger scale'

Vice-President Li Yuanchao assured visiting Russian Presidential Chief of Staff Sergei Ivanov on Thursday that Beijing is determined to expand cooperation with Moscow.

"China is willing to work with Russia to fully implement the fruits of a meeting between the two nations' leaders in Shanghai and conduct cooperation on a larger scale and with greater depth," Li told Ivanov on the sidelines of the Eco Forum Global Annual Conference 2014 in Guiyang, Guizhou province.

In May, the two countries signed a number of agreements during Russian President Vladimir Putin's state visit to China. President Xi Jinping met with Ivanov in Beijing on Wednesday.

The two sides should ensure that "the China-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Coordination always runs at a high level", Li said. Ivanov said Moscow is ready to "conduct more exchanges across multiple dimensions and levels" and to push their bilateral relationship forward to achieve "more progress".

At the annual conference in Guiyang, Li also met with Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome, Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, President of the Council of States of Switzerland's Federal Assembly Hannes Germann, and Vanuatu's deputy prime minister, Ham Lini.

In his meeting with the Ethiopian president, Li said close high-level contacts in recent years between the two countries "have injected a powerful impetus" into their bilateral relationship. He added that Beijing will deepen cooperation with Ethiopia in the railroad, textiles and financial sectors.

Mulatu, on his first trip to China since taking office in October, said the foundation of a bilateral relationship is sound and that Ethiopia welcomes greater investment from China and the promotion of bilateral cooperation in various fields.

During a meeting with Switzerland's congressional leader, Li said their bilateral free trade agreement, which recently went into effect, was "a milestone".

The two sides are expected to "expand the scales of trade and investment", said Li, who added that each nation should cooperate in the sustainable development and urbanization sectors.

Germann said Chinese economy is dynamic and Switzerland is ready for expanding cooperation with China in environmental protection.

Contact the writers at zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn and yangjun@chinadaily.com.cn