Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao met here Thursday with a number of foreign leaders attending a ecological forum.

The foreign guests include Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome, Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, President of the Council of States of Switzerland's Federal Assembly Hannes Germann, Russian Presidential Administration chief Sergei Ivanov, Vanuatu Deputy Prime Minister Ham Lini, former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, former Thai Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai and former British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott. They are in the capital of Guizhou Province for the Eco Forum Global Annual Conference 2014 Friday.

During his meeting with Mulatu, Li said close contact between leaders and senior officials has injected strong impetus into and reflected the importance and high level of bilateral links. He said China is ready to strengthen cooperation with Ethiopia in the areas of railways, textiles and finance.

Mulatu said Ethiopia has strong relations with China and regards the latter as a strategic partner. He welcomes China's increased investment in his country and expanded cooperation in all areas.

During the meeting with Muscat, Li said Malta is a good partner of China in the European Union. He expressed the readiness to implement the medium-term plan of cooperation between the two governments by advancing cooperation on trade, investment, infrastructure, tourism, medical services and eco economy.

Muscat expressed the belief that the two sides will use their own specific advantages to lift the level of cooperation.

During the meeting with Germann, Li said the newly enacted Sino-Swiss Free Trade Treaty was a milestone in bilateral relations. He expressed the hope that the two sides will seize the opportunity to expand trade, increase investment and explore cooperative potential in the areas of sustainable growth and urbanization.

Germann said Switzerland is ready to expand bilateral cooperation in the areas of environmental protection and collaboration between local governments of the two countries.

During the meeting with Ivanov, Li said China is ready to work with Russia to implement the results of the Shanghai summit between their heads of state. He said the two sides are to carry out cooperation in wider scope and greater depth to ensure the high-level of comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Ivanov said Russia is ready to carry out in-depth exchanges with China in all areas and at all levels and advance bilateral links effectively.

During his meeting with Lini, Li said China is ready to expand exchanges with Vanuatu and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in the areas of infrastructure development, fishing and sports.

Lini said Vanuatu wishes to learn from China's experience and strengthen bilateral cooperation on technology and economy.

Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao (R) meets with Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome who came to China to attend the Eco Forum Global Annual Conference 2014 in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 10, 2014. (Xinhua/Ou Dongqu)