In the afternoon of March 27, 2015, Premier Li Keqiang held talks at the Great Hall of the People with Prime Minister Stefan Lofven of Sweden, who came to China to attend the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2015.

Li Keqiang expressed that Sweden is the first Western country that established diplomatic relationship with the People’s Republic of China. The two nations enjoy a steady development in the bilateral relations and increasingly deepened mutual understanding. This year marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relationship between the two countries. The Chinese side stands ready to, together with Sweden, pioneer and innovate on the basis of mutual respect and win-win cooperation, and closely combine respective development strategies and advantages, in a move to propel the bilateral relations to another new high.

Li Keqiang pointed out that China and Sweden serve as the biggest trade partners in Asia and Northern Europe for each other. There exist both foundations and conditions for both sides to carry out larger-scale, higher-level and more in-depth practical cooperation. China, in the course of promoting its economy toward a medium-to-high-end level, is ready to draw upon experience of Sweden in high-end manufacturing, scientific and technical innovation, development of green economy and low-carbon technology and other respects. Besides, both sides should further increase the scale of bilateral trade and investment, boost the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, and jointly oppose protectionism. I hope that the Swedish side could relax restrictions on export of high technology to China, so as to achieve mutual benefits and win-win results. The Chinese side stands ready to work with Sweden to strengthen communication and coordination in international affairs and to maintain global and regional peace and stability.

Stefan Lofven expressed that the Sweden-China relations maintain a strong development momentum, with considerable progress in economic and trade cooperation as well as continual increase in mutual investments between enterprises of the two countries. The Swedish side pays attention to the construction of the pilot free trade areas of China and stands ready to expand relevant cooperation with China. Sweden and China can enhance communication and coordination within the framework of the United Nations, so as to play a positive role in international affairs.

Li Keqiang also introduced at request the relevant situation of rule of law in China.

Following the talks, Li Keqiang and Stefan Lofven jointly attended the unveiling ceremony of commemorative envelopes for the 65th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Sweden diplomatic relationship, and signed in two commemorative envelopes.