Work together to enhance practical coopera

Editor's Note: The following is an excerpt from a speech by Premier Li Keqiang at the Fourth China and Central and Eastern European Countries Economic and Trade Forum in Belgrade, Serbia, on Tuesday.

It gives me great pleasure to come to the beautiful country of Serbia and attend the Fourth China and Central and Eastern European Countries Economic and Trade Forum. During this forum, the China-CEEC Business Council will be established, which will mark a new step forward in our cooperation. On behalf of the Chinese government, I wish to offer congratulations on the opening of the forum and establishment of the business council.

You may have felt that winter has not been easy for the Northern Hemisphere this year. In fact, many countries have experienced very cold weather, which seems to have echoed the current temperature of the world economy. The global economic recovery is sluggish; major economies in the world are showing divergent trends of growth; and many countries are facing downward pressures, with China and CEE countries being no exception.