China and crisis-hit Latvia signed agreements Monday aimed at increasing bilateral trade during a visit to the Baltic state by Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Hui Liangyu.
"Latvia has always highly valued its relationship with China," Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis told reporters following talks with Hui Liangyu.
"We're interested in continuing the bilateral dialogue, especially now when China plays a more important role in international politics and the global financial and economic system," he said.
Chinese and Latvian officials signed a series of agreements promoting closer co-operation in the spheres of bilateral trade, education, as well as science and technology, Latvia's economy ministry said in a statement.
During his three-day visit, Hui Liangyu is also due to hold talks with Latvian President Valdis Zatlers and parliament speaker Gundars Daudze.
Hui Liangyu is currently on a four-nation tour, visiting Slovenia, Belarus, Lithuania and Latvia before heading to the World Climate Conference in Geneva on Wednesday.
Latvia is suffering one of the deepest recessions among the 27 European Union member states. Having posted double digit growth in recent years, Latvia's economy shrank by 19.6 percent in the second quarter.
It is now relying on a 7.5 billion euro loan from the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission to cover its huge budget deficit.
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