Latvia to join Belt and Road Initiative

Latvia became on Friday the first country in the Baltic Sea area to sign a memorandum of understanding to link up with China's Belt and Road Initiative, during the visit by Premier Li Keqiang to the country.

The initiative, which comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21 Century Maritime Silk Road, aims to boost connectivity and trade across Asia, Africa and Europe. The initiative was proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013.

The memorandum was signed after Li's meeting with his Latvian counterpart Maris Kucinskis in the country's capital, Riga, on his first visit to the European Union country.