2015年CRI Infrastructure Highlighted in China-CEE Cooperation

 

Following the morning session of the China-CEE summit, the leaders from the 16 Central and Eastern European nations joined Chinese Premier¹ Li Keqiang on a train ride from Suzhou to Shanghai, hitting speeds of around 300 kilometers per hour on the 100-kilometer-long trip.

The Premier has used the 25-minute train ride as a showcase for future cooperation through the so-called "16+1" framework.

"The development of China's high-speed rail is a symbol of our advanced equipment technology. We have already signed deals this week with both Hungary and Serbia on railway construction. Negotiations² on other projects of their kind are also underway. As such, we think there is massive potential for cooperation in the area."

Under the deals signed with Hungary and Serbia, a rail link is going to be built connected the Hungarian capital Budapest with Serbia's capital, Belgrade.

Both countries, in particular Hungary, have been pressing to have the link built.

Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban has been actively³ courting the Chinese rail project by suggesting his country can be a distribution point for Chinese goods meant to flow through the rest of continental⁴ Europe.

Construction of the railway, set to cut travel time between the Serbian and Hungarian capitals by more than half, is due to be complete in 2-years.

At the same time, Premier Li Keqiang has also floated the idea of China helping⁵ create a sea-port corridor linking the Adriatic-Baltic-Black Sea region, suggesting China has a lot of experience with port design and manufacturing.

Latvian Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma says she likes the idea.

"I would like to express our support for the sea port corridor initiative connecting Baltic and Black Sea and Adriatic ports proposed by our Chinese colleagues. I'm grateful and have high confidence for Latvia."

Most of China's investments in central and Eastern Europe have been connected to infrastructure⁶ and energy projects, which can be costly⁷ for smaller economies in Central and Eastern Europe.

As such, Premier Li Keqiang says the Chinese government wants to create a new financing vehicle which countries in the region can use to develop these projects.

"We would like to establish a '16+1' multilateral financing firm. We will promote the projects, especially larger ones, under the principle of commercialization. To do this, China will apply to become a member of the European Bank of Reconstruction⁸ and Development to support the construction projects. But at the same time, we will also support equipment manufacturing in Central and Eastern Europe through commercial banking⁹ operations."

Trade among China and 16 countries making up Central and Eastern Europe came in at around 60 billion U.S. dollars last year.

This is around one-tenth the trade volume among China and all the countries in Europe.

The 16 Central and Eastern European leaders attending this week's sessions in Suzhou are now headed to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday.

For CRI, I am Wang Mengzhen. 

1 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

2 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

3 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

4 continental   

adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的

参考例句：

• A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
• The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。

5 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

6 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

7 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

8 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

9 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。