China willing to explore potential for co-op with Papua New Guinea

Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang is in Papua New Guinea continuing his three-nation tour. He met with the country's Prime Minister Michael Thomas Somare in Port Moresby on Tuesday to discuss bilateral ties.

Vice Premier Li Keqiang said Papua New Guinea, as the largest developing country in the South Pacific, has great influence over regional issues.

Li said China is willing to work with Papua New Guinea to put into practice all important agreements, promote exchanges on various levels and explore the potential for economic and trade cooperation.

Somare, on his part, said the past 33 years have witnessed a marked development of the relationship between the two nations.

He said the preferential loans China has provided to Pacific island nations over the past three years have greatly helped their overall economic and social development.

China is Papua New Guinea's sixth largest trading partner. Two-way trade totaled 860 million U.S. dollars in 2008.

The vice premier said China and Papua New Guinea have complementary economies and there is huge potential for cooperation.

Papua New Guinea is the last leg of Li Keqiang's three-nation tour after Australia and New Zealand.