Latvia has become the first country in the Baltic Sea area to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to link up with China's Belt and Road Initiative. <br/><br/>The MoU was signed after Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's meeting with his Latvian counterpart Maris Kucinskis in capital Riga, on his first visit to the European Union country. <br/><br/>The initiative, which comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, aims to boost connectivity and trade across Asia, Africa and Europe. It was proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013.<br/><br/>Li and Kucinskis also witnessed the signing of five agreements on cooperation in such areas as small and medium-sized enterprises, transportation and logistics.<br/><br/>