Chinese premier to attend Europe summit
Trip to include visit to Germany, Russia for energy and rail deals
BEIJING:
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will attend a summit of European and Asian leaders on a trip starting next week.
The government and state media said the trip would also include a visit to Germany and Russia for the signing of energy and high-speed rail deals.
This is Li’s second trip through the continent this year, and culminates in the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in the Italian city of Milan. The occasion arose as the former British colony of Hong Kong has been rocked by pro-democracy demonstrations and the European Union steps up sanctions on Russia over Ukraine Crisis.
In response, Russian President Vladamir Putin has turned to China.
In May this year, the two countries signed a $400-billion gas supply deal and Moscow vowed to double bilateral trade by 2020. China is ready to seize any business opportunities in Russia resulting from Moscow’s diplomatic showdown with Europe over Ukraine.
While in Russia, Li will sign more than 30 agreements on finance, energy and high-speed rail cooperation, said the officials.
China and Russia have close economic and diplomatic links and China has been unwilling to get involved in the Ukraine crisis aside from calling for talks and a peaceful resolution.
While in Germany in March, President Xi Jinping said that China would not take sides with the West or Russia over Ukraine, thus dashing any hopes that Beijing might add weight to international pressure on Moscow for annexing Crimea.
Li will hold talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and sign “a series of inter-governmental agreements”.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 5th, 2014.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will attend a summit of European and Asian leaders on a trip starting next week.
The government and state media said the trip would also include a visit to Germany and Russia for the signing of energy and high-speed rail deals.
This is Li’s second trip through the continent this year, and culminates in the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in the Italian city of Milan. The occasion arose as the former British colony of Hong Kong has been rocked by pro-democracy demonstrations and the European Union steps up sanctions on Russia over Ukraine Crisis.
In response, Russian President Vladamir Putin has turned to China.
In May this year, the two countries signed a $400-billion gas supply deal and Moscow vowed to double bilateral trade by 2020. China is ready to seize any business opportunities in Russia resulting from Moscow’s diplomatic showdown with Europe over Ukraine.
While in Russia, Li will sign more than 30 agreements on finance, energy and high-speed rail cooperation, said the officials.
China and Russia have close economic and diplomatic links and China has been unwilling to get involved in the Ukraine crisis aside from calling for talks and a peaceful resolution.
While in Germany in March, President Xi Jinping said that China would not take sides with the West or Russia over Ukraine, thus dashing any hopes that Beijing might add weight to international pressure on Moscow for annexing Crimea.
Li will hold talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and sign “a series of inter-governmental agreements”.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 5th, 2014.