Premier arrives for Asian meetings

Updated: 2014-11-12 21:36

By ZHAO YIINAN(chinadaily.com.cn)

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Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, on Wednesday evening to kick off a three-day visit to attend a series of multilateral meetings with Southeast Asian nations.

The events will include the 17th China-ASEAN leaders' meeting, the 17th ASEAN-China, Japan and Republic of Korea (10+3) leaders' meeting and the ninth East Asia Summit.

After the multinational meetings, Li will pay an official visit to Myanmar at the invitation of President Thein Sein. A series of documents, including projects benefiting local people, are expected to be signed during Li's visit.

Li said he expects to exchange views with state members of the multinational meetings and talk with President Thein Sein, as well as other Myanmar leaders to promote bilateral relations.

China has been the largest trade partner for ASEAN for five years, and the trade volume to ASEAN countries took up more than one tenth of China's total imports and exports. Bilateral trade hit 346.4 billion dollars from January to September this year, up 7.5 percent year-on-year, a considerable increase against the backdrop of China’s sluggish export and import sectors.

China is Myanmar's largest trading partner, with two-way trade exceeding $10.2 billion in 2013, up 45.6 percent year-on-year. The volume surged 92.4 percent in the first half this year to $8.4 billion.

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