CEE-China trade ‘good for regional stability’

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (L) and Serbia's Prime minister Aleksandar Vucic (R) following the opening session of the third CEE-China meeting in Belgrade, Serbia, 15.12.2014. Photo: PAP/EPA/ANDREJ CUKIC

The comments came during the 3rd CEE-China summit in the Serbian capital of Belgrade, Tuesday.

The meeting was attended by the Chinese PM Li Keqiang, Siemoniak, as well as 15 heads of government from the region - including non-EU member states – stretching from Albania through to Estonia.

According to Siemoniak, the CEE region still needs to work on its trade deficit with China, with calls for increased exports to the latter.

“We would like China to be more open to Polish products and other goods from this part of Europe in order to even out this balance,” Siemoniak said.

Chinese investments are key to the Polish economy, with Poland’s deputy PM saying that the country “is interested in investments which create places of work”.

Speaking at the summit, Siemoniak also turned towards global politics, underlining that the CEE-China meeting should play a greater role in European-China relations.

“In Poland we believe this is a natutal step in the bringing two areas closer together which are so important for global development and stability,” he said.

The summit follows on from last year’s meeting in the Romanian capital of Bucharest. (jb)

Source: IAR/PAP