Vice Premier Li Keqiang said Tuesday China is ready to further enhance economic cooperation with Italy and other European countries while meeting with Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Franco Frattini.

Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Franco Frattini, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, in Beijing, capital city of China, July 19, 2011. [Li Tao/Xinhua]

"China and Europe are important trading partners, and we hope and believe that the European Union will achieve steady economic growth," Li said, adding that China's 12th Five-year Plan for national development will provide new opportunities for bilateral economic and trade cooperation, and China will endeavor in this regard.

Frattini said Italy holds an open attitude toward high-tech cooperation with China.

Li also spoke highly of the current development of China-Italy relations, saying China is willing to strengthen political dialogue and coordination on international affairs with Italy and promote world peace and development.

Frattini said Italy attaches high importance to its relationship with China and is ready to strengthen bilateral political dialogue and substantial cooperation. Italy will also help promote further development of EU-China relations.

Economic cooperation is high on Frattini's agenda during his tour in China. After his arrival in China Monday afternoon, he met with Dai Xianglong, chairman of China's National Council for Social Security Fund.

He is scheduled to visit the China Investment Corporation on Wednesday morning.

Frattini was invited by his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi. Yang and Frattini held talks on Tuesday afternoon.

Yang said China is ready to well implement the 2011-2013 three-year action plan for enhancing economic cooperation with Italy, which was released during Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to Italy in 2010.

Yang voiced China's willingness to work with Italy to jointly cope with the profound impacts brought by the global financial crisis.

Frattini said Italy hopes to serve as a bridge in developing Sino-EU relations and make efforts to enable Sino-Italian ties as a pioneer of the Sino-EU relationship.

The two senior diplomats also witnessed the signing ceremony of five bilateral deals of cooperation, including a visa-exemption agreement for people who hold diplomatic passports.

During Frattini's stay in Beijing, the two sides held the fourth joint meeting of the China-Italy Governmental Committee.

The two sides agreed to enhance the role of the Government Committee, which was launched in 2004, with Yang saying that the mechanism has become an important platform for planning and guiding bilateral cooperation.

After his stay in Beijing, the Italian foreign minister will travel to Shanghai and Guangzhou, two important economic engines of China.