In the afternoon of August 26, 2014, Premier Li Keqiang held talks with Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda in the Great Hall of the People.

Firstly, Browne expressed sympathy over heavy casualties caused by the earthquake in Ludian, Yunnan Province. Li Keqiang thanked Browne for sending a letter of sympathy the first time after the earthquake and announcing that day as a national mourning day, stressing that the Chinese government will spare no effort in helping the people in the stricken area rebuild their beautiful homes.

Li Keqiang expressed that China has consistently advocated that every country, regardless of the size, wealth and strength, is equal in international affairs. Despite differences in national conditions, China and Antigua and Barbuda are both developing countries and facing arduous tasks of growing the economy and improving people's livelihood. We are willing to deepen political mutual trust with Antigua and Barbuda and strengthen cooperation in infrastructure construction such as road, airport and port. Both countries should combine their respective advantages, share experience in clean energy development and expand exchanges in people-to-people and cultural and other fields so as to upgrade the level of bilateral cooperation.

Li Keqiang stressed that the Chinese government attaches great importance to climate change and has made hard efforts in this regard. In the first half of this year, China's economy maintained medium-high rate of growth while its carbon emission intensity has achieved the largest reduction in recent years, down by 5 percent year on year. If China's 1.3 billion people were to realize modernization, we must break the bottleneck restraint such as energy resources and environment. In the next move, we will speed up green and low-carbon development through reform and innovation, follow a sustainable development path and upgrade the economy through improving its quality and efficiency. The Chinese side understands the appeals as well as practical difficulties in the development of island countries including Antigua and Barbuda and stands ready to provide assistance within its available resources to jointly increase the capacity to adapt and respond to climate change and safeguard the interests of developing countries.

Li Keqiang pointed out that the Chinese side attaches importance to developing relations with Caribbean countries and stands ready to enhance communication and coordination on the UN Security Council reform and other international and regional affairs. He hoped Antigua and Barbuda, as rotating chair of the Caribbean Community, will make new contributions to facilitating relations between China and the Caribbean countries and China-Latin America overall cooperation.

Browne expressed that China has provided long-term and valuable support to developing countries including Antigua and Barbuda in international affairs and in addressing climate change and other global challenges, greatly safeguarding the common interests of developing countries. Friendliness towards China is the core of Antigua and Barbuda's foreign policy. Antigua and Barbuda stands ready to further expand cooperation with the Chinese side in various areas, welcomes more Chinese enterprises and citizens to invest and travel in Antigua and Barbuda, and will offer visa and other facilitation. Caribbean countries have a strong will to expand cooperation with China and Antigua and Barbuda will play a positive role in promoting the development of the relations between the Caribbean countries and China.

Prior to the talks, Li Keqiang held a ceremony at the square outside the East Gate of the Great Hall of the People, welcoming Browne's visit to China. Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Liu Xiaofeng and others attended the event.

After the talks, the two Premiers jointly witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperative documents concerning such areas as economy, technology, health care and addressing climate change.