On the afternoon of September 1, 2014, Premier Li Keqiang held talks with Prime Minister Victor Ponta of Romania at the Great Hall of the People.

Li Keqiang said that China-Romania friendship has become even stronger as time goes by, and both sides enjoy mutual respect in core interests, mutual help in economy, mutual support in international affairs and mutual understanding between the peoples. At present, China and Romania are both in the important period of development, and the two countries are facing the rare “window period” when deepening practical cooperation. China is willing to consolidate political mutual trust with Romania, continuously unleash the potential of exchanges and cooperation in all fields and at all levels, keep close communication and coordination in international and regional affairs, and turn the bilateral friendship into tangible fruits of cooperation to better benefit the two peoples.

Li Keqiang pointed out that he hopes both sides will make full use of the Joint Committee of Economy and Trade in planning to improve the scale and level of economic and trade cooperation with efforts, promote cooperation in the field of energy including nuclear power, thermal power and wind power, speed up the research on the construction of the Bucharest-Constanta high-speed railway project and well implement cooperation in key infrastructure projects, tap the cooperation potential in agriculture, and promote scientific and technological cooperation and trade and investment in agriculture, enrich people-to-people and cultural exchanges and strengthen exchanges between youth and in education and other fields, consolidate the public opinion foundation of the bilateral friendship.

Li Keqiang stressed that some uncertainties and destabilizing factors still exist in the current world economy. To realize a mid and high speed growth and to achieve mid and high level of development in China's economy, we need to rely on the diligence of all the people as well as wisdom and innovation so as to add new momentum to China’s economy and make China’s industries leap forward to the high end of global value chain. China is willing to strengthen innovative cooperation with Romania and other countries in the world to realize mutual benefit, win-win result and common development.

Li Keqiang said that the second leaders’ meeting between China and the Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC) held in Romania last year was fruitful. The cooperation in six major fields of trade and investment, finance, connectivity, scientific and technological innovation, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, engagement between local governments as concluded in the “Bucharest Action Guideline” is advancing comprehensively and displaying effectiveness. The deepening of cooperation between China and the CEEC will also help to improve the overall level of China-EU cooperation, achieve a comprehensive and balanced development of the China-EU relations and promote the stability, unity and prosperity of the EU.

Ponta said that Premier Li Keqiang’s successful visit to Romania and attendance at the second leaders’ meeting between China and the CEEC last year pushed the bilateral relations and CEEC-China cooperation to a new level. Romania is firmly committed to promoting Romania-China friendship, and is willing to comprehensively deepen the mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries in fields such as infrastructure, energy and agriculture and to enhance communication and coordination on international and regional issues. As China’s reliable friend and partner in the EU and Central and Eastern Europe, Romania will continue to play a positive role in promoting the EU-China relations and CEEC-China cooperation.

Both sides also exchanged views on international and regional topics of common interest.

Prior to the talks, Li Keqiang held a ceremony at the square outside the East Gate of the Great Hall of the People to welcome Ponta’s visit to China. Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Luo Fuhe and others were present.

After the talks, Li Keqiang and Ponta jointly witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperative documents in fields such as energy, finance and infrastructure construction.