On the afternoon of April 8, 2018, Premier Li Keqiang met at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse with President Alexander Van der Bellen of Austria, who was in China for a state visit.

Li Keqiang welcomed President Alexander Van der Bellen and Chancellor Sebastian Kurz who were on a joint state visit to China. Li Keqiang expressed that Austria is China's important partner in Europe. President Xi Jinping has held talks with Mr. President, and jointly planned the future development of bilateral relations. The Chinese side is willing to, together with Austria, grasp the opportunity, integrate development strategies, deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges and cooperation, and enhance communication and coordination in international affairs, in a bid to comprehensively improve the level of bilateral relations.

Li Keqiang pointed out that China-Austria cooperation enjoys foundation, advantages and potential power. China stands ready to, together with Austria, constantly extend bilateral trade and two-way investment, create new growth points in such areas as high-end manufacturing, scientific and technological innovation, energy conservation and environmental protection, and expand cooperation under the frameworks of the "Belt and Road" and the "16+1 cooperation", so as to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results. Both China and Europe are the builders and beneficiaries of economic globalization. China is willing to work with the European countries including Austria to jointly promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, jointly oppose protectionism of any form, and safeguard and reinforce multilateral trade system, in a bid to constantly increase the well-being of the two peoples.

Alexander Van der Bellen expressed that his visit to China together with Chancellor Sebastian Kurz shows that the Austrian side attaches high importance to Austria-China relations. Both Austria and China have a cultural tradition with time-honored history, commit to protecting culture and historical sites, and are proud of respective great achievements. Austria speaks highly of China's economic development, praising it as unprecedented in world history. The Austrian side stands ready to further expand bilateral economic cooperation, and enlarge tourism and personnel exchanges, in a bid to promote bilateral relations for new development. The Austrian side supports trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, safeguards multilateral trade system, and is willing to take its assumption of the rotating presidency of the European Union as an opportunity to promote the cooperation between Europe and Asia.