Time to boost links, Li tells 3 leaders

China is ready to advance infrastructure projects and production cooperation with Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, Premier Li Keqiang said while meeting individually with the three countries' prime ministers on Thursday in Sochi, Russia.

The leaders traveled to the city to attend the 16th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Minister) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the first such meeting after Pakistan and India became SCO members during the summer.

When meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Li said both countries have made progress in building the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor since four years ago, and China is willing to promote key infrastructure projects and production capacity cooperation with the South Asian neighbor.

The premier extended gratitude to his Pakistani counterpart on the security provided to Chinese companies and citizens in Pakistan and said he hoped security can be further enhanced to cultivate an inviting environment for further economic cooperation.

While meeting with Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, Li said China will work with Uzbekistan to advance projects of production capacity cooperation and connectivity.

The premier said China and Uzbekistan can complement each other and should strengthen linking their development strategies and provide a good environment for companies from both nations.

Aripov said his country will work with China to strengthen cooperation in fields such as transportation infrastructure and hydropower.

In his meeting with Tajik Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda, Premier Li said China is willing to better align the Belt and Road Initiative with Tajikistan's development strategies and advance projects of production capacity cooperation. He also said China would like to promote infrastructure cooperation and help industrialize the Central Asian neighbor and contribute to regional connectivity and trade facilitation.

China would like to cooperate with Tajikistan in modern agriculture and achieve win-win outcomes, the premier added.

Rasulzoda extended gratitude to China for its support and welcomed Chinese to participate in key projects of power plants, natural gas pipelines and transportation. He said Tajikistan would like to accelerate production capacity cooperation, such as in the chemical industry, and expand trade in agricultural goods while providing preferential policies to Chinese companies.

huyongqi@chinadaily.com.cn