The bilateral meeting with the Head of Government of the People’s Republic of China, Li Keqiang, focused on agricultural cooperation aiming at a greater access to China’s market for Lithuanian agricultural products.
A protocol on the export of Lithuanian wheat to China was signed. And it was agreed to complete the technical procedures for long-awaited access to China’s market for Lithuanian beef and meat offal, while also agreeing to accelerate the process of opening up China’s market to Lithuanian companies producing pet food. The Lithuanian and Chinese Governments have been working closely on these issues for several years now.
‘We are ready and able to offer high quality products to China, and we are very happy to have signed the protocol on the exports of Lithuanian wheat. The agreement is expected to result in fivefold increase in exports of agricultural products and foodstuffs to China in the near future. We look forward to China’s experts’ visit in May vis-a-vis beef and offal. And hopefully we will soon have permits issued for their exports to China’, said Saulius Skvernelis.
Among other issues discussed between the Prime Ministers of Lithuania and China was co-operation in trade, transport, life sciences, cultural and educational exchanges. Lithuania saw it relevant to expand cooperation in exchange of good practices in veterinary and phytosanitary.
On his visit, the Prime Minister also gave a talk at the plenary session of the 16 + 1 summit. Lithuania noted the positive impact of this format in strengthening cooperation between countries in the agro-food industry, while pointing out particularly the opening up of China’s market for Lithuanian producers. The Prime Minister talked of Lithuania’s transport infrastructure as an important factor in the development of freight transport between China and Europe, Lithuania’s leadership in financial technology (FINTECH), and he took the opportunity to invite the finance ministers and governors of national banks of 16 + 1 countries to the international FINTECH Forum in Vilnius to be held in November.
The Summit of Central and Eastern European Countries & China is a format of multilateral political cooperation complementing the bilateral Lithuania-China cooperation initiatives.
