Minister Han Changfu met with Victor Ponta, Prime Minister of Romania in Bucharest on June 6, 2014. The two sides exchanged views and reached consensus on implementing the Bucharest Outline on Cooperation Between China and Central-Eastern European (CEE) Countries, advancing bilateral agricultural cooperation, boosting agricultural trade, and so on.
Minister Han noted that since agriculture is an important strategic industry for both China and CEE countries, agricultural collaboration is an integral part of bilateral cooperation. Therefore, it is of great significance to strengthen collaboration in agricultural sectors, as pointed out by Chinese top leaders at several meetings with leaders of CEE countries.
The signing of the Bucharest Outline and the Joint Statement on Deepening Bilateral Cooperation in New Situation Between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Romania opened a new chapter for the partnerships between China and Romania as well as other CEE countries.
Minister Han stated that China and Romania enjoy a great potential for bilateral cooperation, particularly under China's strategic framework to develop the "Silk Road Economic Belt" and the "21st Century Maritime Silk Road"(the "One Belt and One Road" program).
In order to enhance the pragmatic bilateral cooperation, Minister Han put forward a three-point proposal: first, to set up a China-Romania High-level Working Group on Agricultural Cooperation as a regular mechanism to facilitate two-way exchange and cooperation; second, to give a full rein to the China-Central and Eastern European Countries Economic and Trade Forum and other platforms, to promote trade cooperation and encourage enterprises in both countries to carry out investment and cooperation; and third, to expand exchange and cooperation in animal and plant disease prevention and control, farm-produce safety, and so forth.
Prime Minister Victor Ponta fully agreed with Minister Han's remarks and the above proposal. He spoke highly of China's outstanding achievements in agricultural development, and reaffirmed that Romania attaches great importance to the exchange and cooperation with China. "We are keen to intensify our efforts", he said, "and make agricultural cooperation a highlight in the comprehensive cooperation between the two countries."