China's PM invites Lithuanian counterpart to economic forum known as "summer Davos"

Basketball was one of the topics discussed at the face-to-face meeting in Warsaw, the Lithuanian prime minister's adviser Virgis Valentinavičius told BNS.

"They discussed possibilities of improving and developing bilateral relations, first of all, economic cooperation, also addressing culture and education. They specifically talked about transport, telecommunications, research, tourism and agriculture (...). The prime minister received an invitation to attend the so-called Summer Davos held in China in autumn," Valentinavičius said.

"Kubilius invited the Chinese prime minister to come (to Lithuania) and promised to show good basketball. The Chinese premier said he would not confine himself to watching, he would also play," the prime minister's adviser said.

Kubilius said the contribution of Lithuanian coach Jonas Kazlauskas to Chinese basketball was the most successful Lithuanian investment in China.

At the top-level meeting of Chinese and Central European leaders earlier on Thursday, Kubilius emphasized the importance of Chinese investments in the region and the region's investments in China, Valentinavičius added.

"The meeting was indeed beneficial in the sense that it did not only address China's investment in the region but Central European investment in China. The prime minister noted that cooperation with countries like China made Lithuania part of the global economy, which also created new jobs in Lithuania," said the adviser.

Lithuania's exports to China doubled to 200 million litas (EUR 58 m) last year, as compared with the 2010 results. Trade turnover with China of all 16 countries represented at the meeting amounts to 155 billion litas, about a tenth of the total European Union – China trade turnover.