CRI听力:Premier Li's Visit Promotes China-Columbia Relations to a New Level

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is to visit Columbia on Thursday and Friday, as the nations mark 35 years of diplomatic ties. Ahead of Li's visit, the Chinese Ambassador to Columbia is saying the premier's stop in the country will help move China-Columbia relations to a new level. Our reporter Wang Ling brings more details.

Premier Li's Visit Promotes China-Columbia Relations to a New Level 

Li Keqiang is the first Chinese Premier to visit Columbia in nearly 30 years. Chinese ambassador to Columbia Wang Xiaoyuan says the bilateral relationship is changing.

"This year marks the 35th anniversary of the two countries setting up diplomatic relations. Premier Li's visit is a good chance to summarize the China-Columbia relationship in the past 35 years, and to lay a good foundation for the future development."

Ambassador Wang says the visit is on a tight-schedule. In less than 24 hours, 12 agreements will be signed between the two governments, mainly on culture, education, trade, and infrastructure. Meanwhile, Li Keqiang, together with Columbia's President, will also be present at the China- Latin American Cultural and Educational Exchanges Seminar.

Looking back at the past 35 years, Wang Xiaoyuan believes economic cooperation between the two countries can be stronger, so cooperation in this field is expected to be explored during this visit.

"Since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, we have more cooperation in trade, but less in economic projects. At present, only 30 Chinese enterprises have entered the Columbian market, mainly on energy and minerals. We have potential for more cooperation, such as infrastructure, industrial capacity transfer, and agricultural collaboration."

On the cultural front, Ambassador Wang points out Li's visit will further deepen cooperation and exchanges.

"An agreement on a Cultural Exchange Plan between 2015 to 2018 will be signed. This agreement covers cultural exchange group visits and other art forms exchanges like painting, sculpture, films and books. What's more, there will also be a cooperation plan on protecting and restoring cultural heritage."

Wang points out that with frequent exchanges between the two countries, their people can become more and more interested in each other's culture. Currently, a student exchange program has already been established between the two countries.

For CRI, this is Wang Ling.