CRI听力:Li's Visit to Boost China-EU Ties

During his five-day trip, Li Keqiang will attend the 17th China-EU leaders' meeting in Brussels, pay an official visit to France and give a speech at the headquarters of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris.

Vice Foreign Minister Wang Chao says the meeting in Brussels, the first since the change of EU leadership and as an important part of celebrations for the 40th anniversary of China-EU ties, will inject new momentum to the bilateral relationship.

"During the visit to the EU headquarters, Li will hold discussions with President of the European Council Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker about new ways to expand China-EU cooperation. The leaders will also hold talks over international and regional issues."

Li will also meet the President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz, address the opening ceremony of a China-EU business summit, and attend a forum on China-EU urbanization partnership.

According to Wang Chao, China and the EU will issue a document to outline their future cooperation priorities and a statement on climate change.

The two sides are also expected to sign cooperation deals on regional policies, intellectual property rights, customs and technological innovation.

The EU has been China's largest trading partner for 11 years while China has been the EU's second largest trading partner for 12 years. Their bilateral trade exceeded 600 billion U.S. dollars last year.

Wang Chao says the two sides will strengthen coordination on trade and investment policies through the meeting.

"Both of the reforms in China and Europe are at crucial stage. The two sides will try to connect each other's development strategies, such as China's Belt and Road initiative and Europe's investment-oriented Juncker Plan, to further unleash potential of cooperation and boost the bilateral partnership to a higher level."

Li will also become the first Chinese premier to visit France in nearly a decade.

Besides Paris, he will also set foot in Marseille and Toulouse.

During his stay, China and France will sign deals covering nuclear energy, aviation, finance, agriculture and health care, while a joint statement on third-party market cooperation and a joint statement on civil nuclear energy cooperation are to be issued.

Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen.

"China and France will encourage joint development, joint investment, joint manufacturing and joint research between their enterprises, through which the companies can combine forces to strengthen competitiveness when joining hands to explore a third-party market."

As Wang Chao announced, China and Belgium will sign cooperation deals on finance, telecommunication, technology and education after the talks between Li and Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel.

This is also the first meeting between the two heads of government since the new Belgian government took office last October.

And in his speech to the OECD, Li will elaborate on China's stance on development issues.

It's being reported that China and the OECD are formulating a cooperation vision and cross-year action plan.

For CRI, I'm Luo Wen.