China, Peru issue joint statement on cooperation

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (2nd L) and Peruvian President Ollanta Humala (2nd R) attend the signing of cooperation agreements between China and Peru after their talks in Lima, capital of Peru, May 22, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

LIMA - China and Peru on Friday issued a joint statement, underlining the consensus reached between the two countries on bilateral ties and pragmatic cooperation, as well as international and regional issues of common concern.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is on a three-day official visit to Peru as a guest of Peruvian President Ollanta Humala.

During their talks, Li and Humala voiced satisfaction with the visit which was regarded as a milestone in the development of bilateral ties, the statement said.

Since the two countries forged a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2013, they have seen growing mutual trust and fruitful outcomes of pragmatic cooperation in the areas of investment, economy and trade, finance, energy and mining, infrastructure, education and people-to-people exchanges, it said.

The two countries will continue to push forward their partnership in line with the principle of mutual respect, mutual benefit and win-win outcome, it said.

The statement said the two nations will hold their first strategic dialogue on economic cooperation on May 23, and that they will take the opportunity of this meeting to enhance strategic planning, so as to push forward pragmatic cooperation.

The two sides agreed to deepen cooperation between government departments of the two countries and promote industrial investment, it said, adding they wish to share experience in the areas of electric power generation, clean energy, petrochemical industry, metallurgy, construction materials, agriculture, forestry, and processing of aquatic products.

They agreed to tap the potential of bilateral trade and fully use the free trade pact to promote sustainable and stable growth of bilateral trade and address trade frictions through friendly negotiation, the statement said.

It said the two sides decided to enhance cooperation in production capacity and equipment manufacturing.

China and Peru agreed to conduct a feasibility study on a proposed transcontinental railway line connecting Peru's Pacific coast with Brazil's Atlantic coast, with a memorandum of understanding signed by the two sides.