China urges int'l transportation cooperation

China's Vice Premier Huang Ju called for cooperation on transport between Asian and European countries here Monday.

In a congratulatory letter to the third Euro-Asian Road Transport Conference held in Beijing, Huang said he hoped the countries and international organizations related can take this opportunity and fasten their cooperation on transport and create a better tomorrow for the two continents.

With the theme of "Road Transportation, bridge across Asia and Europe", the third Euro-Asian Road Transport Conference opened here Sunday.

Nearly 300 overseas delegates and 400-plus domestic representatives participated in the conference, which is co-hosted by the International Road Transportation Union (IRU) and Chinese Ministry of Communications.

Huang said Chinese government takes construction of transport infrastructure as an important measure to improve social and economic development.

Cooperation with other countries on this aspect has also showed a good momentum, he said.

By the end of 2004, China has signed ten bilateral motor transport treaties and three multilateral intergovernmental treaties with Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kirghiz, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Laos, Vietnam, Nepal and set 60 international road ports and more than 140 international passenger liners.

During the three-day meeting, participants will discuss the road transportation potential in the far east and southeast Asian regions, the international cooperation between China and its neighbouring countries, the infrastructure development on Asian and European roads, the best transportation and logistics cases in Asia and Europe.

A European and Asian Transport Ministers' meeting will be hosted during the conference. Transportation ministers, deputy ministers and minister representative from 15 countries will gather to discuss how to bring Asia and Europe together through road transport.

Source: Xinhua