Li meets with foreign leaders attending CIIE

Premier Li Qiang held separate meetings on Tuesday with some foreign leaders who are in Shanghai to attend the eighth edition of the China International Import Expo, which opens on Wednesday.

During his meeting with Serbian Prime Minister Djuro Macut, Li said that China is willing to work with Serbia to uphold mutual respect and mutual trust, and firmly support each other on issues concerning the two countries' core interests and major concerns.

Li underlined the need for China and Serbia to advance key projects, such as the Hungary-Serbia railway, and deepen economic, trade and cultural cooperation to deliver more benefits to the two peoples.

China and Serbia should also enhance multilateral coordination to promote the strengthening and improvement of global governance, he added.

Macut said that China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) will bring new opportunities for all countries to engage in cooperation with China.

Serbia looks forward to deepening cooperation with China in the fields of economy, trade and culture, strengthening multilateral coordination, and promoting common development, Macut added.

While meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Li said that since China and Georgia established diplomatic relations 33 years ago, the two countries have always respected and understood each other and firmly supported each other's core interests and major concerns.

China is willing to enhance strategic communication with Georgia, and deepen exchanges and cooperation in the fields of economy, trade and culture under the framework of high-quality Belt and Road construction, thereby better benefiting the peoples of both countries, he said.

Noting that China and Georgia are part of the Global South, Li underlined the need for them to unite other developing nations to safeguard the global economic and trade order, as well as international fairness and justice.

Kobakhidze said that Georgia adheres to the one-China principle and supports the four major global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping.

Georgia is willing to expand cooperation with China in economic, trade and cultural fields under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and further strengthen multilateral collaboration, he added.

After their talks, Li and Kobakhidze witnessed the signing of multiple documents on bilateral cooperation between China and Georgia.

During his meeting with Abbas Tajudeen, speaker of Nigeria's House of Representatives, Li expressed China's willingness to strengthen the alignment of its development strategies with those of Nigeria, actively implement the 10 partnership action plans for China and Africa to jointly advance modernization, and engage in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

Li called for enhancing bilateral cooperation in traditional sectors and expanding collaboration in emerging industries to better serve the economic and social development of both countries.

China and Nigeria should strengthen coordination and cooperation within multilateral frameworks, such as BRICS and the United Nations, to promote solidarity and self-strengthening among Global South nations, he said.

Tajudeen said that Nigeria firmly adheres to the one-China principle, and is willing to boost exchanges with China on governance experience.

Nigeria looks forward to expanding cooperation with China in areas such as the economy, trade, infrastructure, energy and culture, and continuously elevate the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries to a higher level, he added.