News

On 27-29 January, a delegation led by the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry State Secretary Evaldas Ignatavičius had consultations with officials of the People's Republic of China in Beijing, which resulted in the agreement on concrete steps in promoting bilateral economic relations. During the consultations, Lithuania's international role was positively evaluated. These were the first consultations after the visit of President Jiang Zemin to Lithuania, during which the focus on bilateral economic cooperation was envisaged. In Beijing the delegation was received by the Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan. The minister had very warm reminiscences from his last year's visit to Lithuania and congratulated the country on successful EU accession negotiations. According to the minister, political and economic ties between the two states will only enhance after Lithuania's joining the EU. Evaldas Ignatavičius had a meeting with the Chinese Foreign Vice-Minister Liu Guchang to discuss bilateral political, economic, cultural cooperation and exchange opinions on the relevant international issues. The Chinese vice-minister positively evaluated Lithuania's efforts to focus on relations with the third countries when integrating into the EU. According to the official, the role of Lithuania as a member of the EU will be increasing in solving global problems. The consultations focused on the development of economic ties. Lithuania is interested in signing an agreement on reciprocal assistance in the field of customs' work. The parties also agreed on starting negotiations on a marine transport agreement initiated by Lithuania and seeking the conclusion of cooperation agreement between the ports. During the meeting with the Chinese Vice Minister of Communications Hu Xijie Evaldas Ignatavičius invited a delegation of the Chinese communications Ministry and ports' representatives to visit the port of Klaipėda. The establishment of distribution centres in the Klaipėda free economic zone was proposed as one of the ways of attracting Chinese cargos brought to Europe. The development of economic ties was also discussed at the meeting with the Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Zhou Keren. The Lithuanian delegation urged China to open up more for the Lithuanian export. According to the data of the Chinese customs statistics, the turnover of Lithuanian-Chinese trade amounted to 110 million US dollars in 2002 and increased more than 50 % during the year. The Lithuanian side also proposed the Chinese officials to discuss possibilities of signing a readmission agreement. The Chinese representatives are in their turn initiating an agreement between the Lithuanian Ministry of Interior and the Chinese Public Security Ministry on fighting illegal migration, crime and illicit trafficking of drugs. Deputy Chairman of the Chinese National People's Congress Foreign Affairs Committee Cai Fanghai informed the Lithuanian official that the Chinese Parliament had ratified the bilateral Lithuanian-Chinese agreement on extradition signed during President Jiang Zemin's visit to Lithuania. On 30 January, the delegation went to Shanghai to meet the municipality representatives of the city and to discuss the prospects of economic and cultural cooperation.