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SOFIA, July 7-- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Saturday called for deepening open and pragmatic cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) to promote common prosperity and development. Li made the call when attending the seventh China-CEEC leaders' meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria, hailing the open, effective and inclusive nature of the 16+1 mechanism as well as its fruitful achievements. "It has created a new model of multilateral open cooperation," Li said. The cooperation mechanism has consolidated the foundation for mutual trust and realized mutual benefit for both sides, and meanwhile helped promote the development of China-EU relations, he said. Li said that at this year's annual meeting of the Boao Forum for Asia, Chinese President Xi Jinping gave a firm signal that China will expand its opening to the outside world. "Looking into the future, China will continue to adhere to the path of peaceful development, unswervingly pursue an open strategy of mutual benefit and win-win results, and work with other countries to build a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind," said the premier. "Countries are welcome to board China's economic express to share opportunities of China's development," he added. For the future development of the 16+1 mechanism, Li proposed both sides jointly safeguard economic globalization and free trade, maintain a rules-based multilateral trading system, oppose unilateralism and protectionism, and vigorously promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation. | 
