Wen meets leaders of C, E European nations

WARSAW - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Thursday met with leaders from Romania, Czech, Montenegro, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, Lithuania, Estonia, Macedonia, Albania and Bulgaria on the sidelines of a China-Central and Eastern Europe leaders' meeting.

Wen told Romanian Prime Minister Mihai Razvan Ungureanu that China will encourage its enterprises and financial institutions to hold in-depth discussions with Romania on large-scale infrastructure projects and to achieve substantive results of their cooperation.

China is ready to expand cooperation with Romania in investment, agriculture, tourism and culture, Wen said.

Ungureanu said his government is devoted to pushing forward Romania-China relations and is ready to tap the full potential of cooperation with China in economy, trade and investment.

During a meeting with Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas, Wen said that since the two countries established diplomatic relations over 60 years ago, friendly cooperation has always been the theme of bilateral relations. He hoped the Czech Republic would honor its commitment to consolidating political mutual trust with China.

China welcomes more investment from Czech enterprises, and encourages Chinese companies to invest in Czech, Wen said.

Necas said his country would stick to the one-China policy, respect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Economic and trade cooperation between the Czech Republic and China have enjoyed fruitful results and have broad prospects.

When meeting with Montenegro's Prime Minister Igor Luksic, Wen said the Chinese government encourages its companies to participate in the construction of roads and ports in Montenegro, and is ready to promote cooperation in maritime shipping.

Luksic thanked China for its support of its economic development, and said he welcomed enhanced cooperation with China in such fields as energy, information and transportation.

In a meeting with Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic, Wen said this year marks the 20th anniversary of China-Croatia diplomatic relations. China is ready to promote high-level exchanges with Croatia, encourage its enterprises to participate in Croatia's port renovation and cross-border railway construction, and expand two-way investment and promote cooperations in tourism and civil aviation.

Milanovic said Croatia and China share important consensus on developing bilateral relations. Croatia is willing to give full play of its geographic advantages and promote cooperation with China in the fields of economy, trade and transportation.

In a meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Wen said Hungary, which held the first China-Central and Eastern European Countries Economic and Trade Forum, has made important contributions to promoting economic and trade cooperation among them.

China is confident of the economic recovery in Hungary and Europe, and is ready to work with Hungary to cope with the challenges together, Wen said.

Orban said it is very important for Hungary and Europe to strengthen cooperation with China, adding that he believes bilateral relations have a bright future.

When meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, Wen said China is ready to promote high-level exchanges and consultations at all levels with Slovakia to promote mutual understanding and trust.

China hopes Slovakia will continue to open its markets to China, promote the growth of bilateral trade, he said, adding that China is willing to start cooperation with Slovakia in the areas of infrastructure, investment, services and environmental protection.

Fico said his government adheres to the policy of developing friendly relations with China and maintaining the healthy development of bilateral ties.

Slovakia is ready to expand economic and trade cooperations with China and welcomes Chinese investment in Slovakia's air transport.

In a meeting with Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius, Wen said China attaches great importance to Lithuania's positive role in promoting cooperation in transportation in Euroasia, and is ready to discuss cooperation with the Lithuanian side on transportation and logistics, and to jointly develop regional markets in such areas as telecommunication and agriculture.

Kubilius said Lithuania and China share broad space for cooperation. Lithuania is ready to achieve mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation with China, and play an active role in promoting Europe-China relations.

In a meeting with Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip, Wen said China-Estonia relations is based mutual respect and equal treatment. The two sides can discuss new areas and new ways of cooperation, taking the China-Central and Eastern European Countries Economic and Trade Forum as an opportunity and giving full play to the economic and trade cooperation councils in both countries.

Ansip thanked China's support for Estonia, saying his country adheres to the one-China policy and is ready to strengthen cooperation with China in trade, investment, transportation, education and tourism.

Wen told his Macedonian counterpart Nikola Gruevski that China is willing to work jointly with Macedonia to expand their pragmatic cooperation in trade and economy.

Reaffirming the one-China policy and appreciating China's respect of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, Gruevski said his country is ready to earnestly implement the cooperation agreements inked with China.

At a meeting with Albanian Deputy Prime Minister Edmond Haxhinasto, Wen said China will encourage the its enterprises to cooperate with the Albania side in the fields of transportation, energy and tourism, and discuss the joint establishment of an economic and technology zone.

Haxhinasto said Albania is willing to jointly promote the economic and trade cooperation with China as well as the cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

When meeting with Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Simeon Dyankov, Wen said China will expand its cooperation with Bulgaria in the areas of automobile, energy, agriculture and tourism among others.

Dyankov said he sees great potential in the Bulgaria-China relations, adding that his country would like to further enhance the mutually beneficial cooperation with China.

Wen started his visit to Poland on Wednesday. Poland is the last leg of a four-nation Europe tour, which has taken him to Iceland, Germany and Sweden.