Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Latvian President Vaira
Vike-Freiberga vowed in Helsinki, Finland yesterday to boost
bilateral relations.
The two leaders made the pledge at a meeting on the sidelines of
the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit, according to Chinese
diplomats who attended the two leaders' meeting.
Wen said this year marked the 15th anniversary of the
establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Latvia, and
China would take this opportunity to map a long-term blueprint on
promoting the bilateral relations.
Both sides should enhance mutual political trust, deepen
economic cooperation and expand people-to-people exchanges, Wen
said.
Vike-Freiberga said China treated small countries like Latvia as
equal partners, demonstrating the essence of multilateralism.
China was among the first to recognize Latvia when it announced
independence, and both sides have conducted fruitful dialogue, the
president added.
Vike-Freiberga hoped that both sides could continue to
strengthen cooperation in various fields and coordination in
international affairs.
Wen arrived in Helsinki Saturday for the two-day ASEM summit,
which marks the ASEM's 10th anniversary and has gathered heads of
state or government from 13 Asian countries and the 25 member
states of the EU, including the Latvian president.
(Xinhua News Agency September 12, 2006)
