Romania will host on July 14, in Bucharest, the Forum of Political Parties within the China – Central and Eastern Europe Cooperation framework (16 + 1 format), reads a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) on Tuesday.
In this context, MAE informs that State Secretary for Global Bilateral Affairs Monica Gheorghita is attending the 9th meeting of the China – Central and Eastern Europe Cooperation national coordinators, held in Beijing, from July 10 to 12. The event brought together the national coordinators of the 16 European countries within the framework, with Austria and Belarus taking part in the works as observers. The Chinese side was represented by Wang Chao, Deputy Foreign Minister and Secretary-General of the 16 + 1 Cooperation Framework Secretariat.
During the plenary session interventions, the Romanian official delivered a message of continuity and pragmatism in the decisions and commitments assumed by the Romanian side as well as the interest to make significant progress in implementing the projects agreed upon at the Riga Summit in November 2016.
The dignitary pointed out that the Romanian side is especially interested in cooperating in the fields of energy, agriculture, infrastructure, communications, IT and tourism and announced the organization, in Bucharest, of the Forum of Political Parties in the “16 +1” format on July 14. At the same time, she highlighted the interest of the Romanian authorities in capitalizing on the benefits of the status of EU member state, bordering the Black Sea and the Danube, including through the initiative of New Silk roads, promoted by the Chinese side, the quoted source specifies.
The Beijing meeting also provided the framework for preparing the agenda for the forthcoming China – CEEC Summit of the Heads of Government, to be held in Budapest this year.
The European countries participating in the 16 + 1 framework are: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia and Hungary. The 16 + 1 framework is a Chinese initiative launched in 2011 on the occasion of former Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to Budapest when the first meeting of this format took place with the participation of the ministers in charge with the economy and the development (June 24 – 25, 2011).
