BEIJING -- China is ready to keep expanding economic and trade exchanges with the Netherlands while adhering to the principle of mutual benefit, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Wednesday.

During a phone call with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, Li said that in recent years, under the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries, China-Netherlands relations have developed steadily and rapidly, and cooperation in various fields has been continuously expanded, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples.

China is ready to maintain close exchanges with the new Dutch government and work together to uphold the positive momentum in promoting the bilateral relations, he said.

Openness and practicality are valuable lessons drawn from the development of China-Netherlands relations, Li said, adding that China is ready to maintain close high-level exchanges with the Netherlands, strengthen dialogue and communication, continue to consolidate political mutual trust, so as to provide a solid foundation for the development of bilateral relations.

For his part, Schoof said that China plays an increasingly important role in global affairs, and the Netherlands attaches great importance to its relationship with China.

Bilateral relations, particularly in terms of economic and trade cooperation, have seen strong growth. The Dutch government firmly adheres to the one-China policy, recognizing that the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, Schoof said.

The Netherlands is ready to serve as a gateway for China's cooperation with Europe, and looks forward to further strengthening cooperation in economic, trade, and other fields to advance Netherlands-China relations.