With the China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) “16+1 Cooperation” getting more and more mature, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang proposed at the 6th China-CEEC Economic and Trade Forum that the “16+1 Cooperation” shall be carried out in wider scopes, larger areas as well as higher levels, and that the principle of long-term perseverance shall be adhered to.

   Upon the invitation of Lithuanian Parliamentary Speaker Viktoras Pranckietis, Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC), paid an official goodwill visit to Lithuania on April 14, 2017 and met with Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite and Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis respectively in Vilnius. The two countries have reached a deep consensus that exchanges and cooperation between the two nations are getting stronger and stronger under the framework of “Belt and Road” construction and “16+1 Cooperation”. Zhang Dejiang said, “The purpose of my visit is to promote closer links between the legislatures of the two countries, and to inject new impetus into China-Lithuania friendly cooperation.” Pranckietis expressed that Chairman Zhang’s visit is of great significance in promoting the development of the relations between the two countries as well as their legislative communications. He also vowed that Lithuanian parliament is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China’s NPC and to make new contributions to boosting friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation as well as active cultural exchanges between the two sides.

     To promote the strategic development of China-CEEC “16+1 Cooperation”, leaders of both China and Lithuania advocate to establish the “China-CEEC Association for Promoting the Development of Law and Economy” – a non-governmental organization to be registered in Vilnius, capital of Lithuania. The Association will offer wide and extensive services to the “16+1 Cooperation” countries and regions in such areas and industries as politics, law, finance, trade, culture, agriculture, tourism, communication, and entertainment, etc. The Lithuanian political VIP Mr. Gytis Andrulionis, 1st Deputy Minister of Culture, is the legal founder of the Association. He ever served as Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Director of the National Law Institute.

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