Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao called on China and Eurasian countries to open their markets for reviving the trade on the ancient silk route to strengthen their cooperation in all areas.
Inaugurating second China-Eurasia Economic Development and Cooperation Forum in Urumqi, provincial capital of Xinjiang, Wen said Eurasian continent has become “one of the most promising regions in the world in terms of consumption and investment“.
As long as the two sides open markets to each other and draw on each other’s strengths, they can develop long and stable cooperation, he said.
He said the two sides should deepen cooperation in customs, quality inspection, e-commerce, transit transport, standard certification and intellectual property rights, facilitate a free flow of personnel, goods, capital, technology and services within the region, and jointly resist trade protectionism, he said.
He called on the two sides to improve existing regional and sub-regional cooperation mechanisms and speed up negotiations on bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements.
“We should, in a spirit of solidarity and mutual support, provide necessary assistance to countries with difficulties in the region to help raise their capacity for self-development”, Wen said.
The Second China-Eurasia Expo is taking place from September 2 to 7.
The expo, aiming to fast-track economic cooperation at the heart of Eurasia, has attracted leaders from eight countries, including Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Afghanistan.
Participants from 55 countries and regions attended the event, official media reported.
The event was held for the first time in China last year during which 178 contracts worth $29.14 billion as well as $5.5 billion in foreign trade contracts were signed, according to the organisers.