Premier Li Keqiang attends the 10th Asia-Europe Meeting in Milan, Italy on Oct 16, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua]

Premier Li Keqiang called on Thursday for Asian and European leaders to step up efforts to upgrade economic cooperation and connectivity to put exchanges between the two continents on a firmer footing during the Asia-Europe Meetingin Milan.

The ASEM, founded in 1996, is a high-level, large-scale intergovernmental platform of dialogues and cooperation between the two continents.