China, Belgium agree to unleash complementary advantages, tap more cooperation potentials

China and Belgium on Wednesday agreed to keep unleashing complementary advantages, tapping more cooperation potentials, and yielding greater development achievements in pragmatic cooperation.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (L) speaks at a joint press conference with Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel in Brussels, Belgium on Wednesday, October 17, 2018. [Photo: Xinhua]

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang made the remarks at a joint press conference after holding talks with his Belgian counterpart, Charles Michel.

The two heads of government briefed results of their talks at the press conference.

"The two sides agreed to maintain high-level exchanges, timely communicate on various issues and keep consolidating political mutual trust," Li said.

He suggested the two sides further expand two-way opening-up, upgrade the level of bilateral trade and investment, deepen cooperation in nuclear energy, aviation and aerospace, and enhance innovation cooperation.

On relations with Europe, the Chinese premier stressed that China and Belgium will work together toward a healthy and stable development of China-Europe relations.

He added that the two countries will jointly forge ahead connectivity between Asia and Europe and facilitate the process of a China-Europe bilateral investment treaty (BIT) negotiation.

In order to contribute to world peace, stability and development, China and Belgium will enhance communication and coordination under multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations, safeguard multilateralism and rules-based international order, maintain free trading system and open world economy, Li said.

For his part, Michel suggested the two countries tap potentials in economy and trade, investment, agriculture, energy, aviation, infrastructure and connectivity cooperation.

He called on Belgium and China to make joint efforts to facilitate development of Europe-China relations, reach an agreement on the BIT at an early date and take steps to promote mutual benefit between enterprises from the two countries.

Noting the consensus on safeguarding multilateralism and the rules-based global governance, the Belgian prime minister encouraged the two countries to jointly maintain world security, stability, and development.