China pledged to respect EU rules and standards as the summit with Central and Eastern European countries concluded on Friday, with Premier Li Keqiang praising Greece for officially joining the group – making it “17+1”.
Li said the growing platform was an important “supplement” to Beijing’s relationship with the European Union, on the heels of the EU-China summit in Brussels on Tuesday. The EU is China’s largest trading partner, with both sides trading more than €1.5 billion (US$1.9 million) worth of goods every day. Speaking at the end of the summit in Dubrovnic, Croatia, the Chinese premier said he hoped the cooperation would help deepen Beijing’s relationship with the 28-member bloc. “We respect the EU’s laws and standards,” Li said. “We all need to increase trade and connect our economies.»
