Sino-EU partnership advances to new level By Meng Yan (China Daily) Updated: 2004-05-07 08:28
Premier Wen Jiabao and European Commission President Romano Prodi Thursday
pledged to enhance the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and the
European Union (EU), which was established last year.
During their talks, Wen proposed that leaders from the
two sides increase discussion on strategic issues and expand bilateral economic
and technical co-operation.
![](xin_170501070849234318543.jpg) Prime Minister Wen Jiabao is welcomed by
European Commission President Romano Prodi (right) before a meeting at the
EC headquarters in Brussels May 6, 2004. Wen is on a two-day official
visit to Belgium and to EU institutions.
[Reuters]
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Wen also suggested China and the EU handle their differences in a more timely
and effective manner by improving consultation between the two countries. China
is ready to establish various forms of dialogue mechanisms with the EU, said
Wen.
Prodi reaffirmed the EU's continued adherence to the one-China policy and
expressed its hope for a peaceful resolution of the Taiwan question through
constructive dialogue, according to a joint Sino-EU press statement issued after
the talks.
The two sides yesterday put their names to a customsco-operation and mutual
administrative assistance agreement. This will further facilitate increasing
bilateral trade flows and contribute to tackling breachs of customs legislation
including infringements of intellectual property rights, a major concern of both
sides.
They also signed a joint declaration on co-operation on the Galileo satellite
navigation system as well as three Sino-EU framework documents on the textile
trade, competition policy and trade policy.
Speaking at a joint press conference after the talks, Wen said China supports
the EU's process of expansion and integration. He said a strong and stable
Europe will play a more positive and constructive role in both European and
international affairs.
In his speech delivered to the China-EU Investment and Trade Forum held
before the talks, Wen urged the EU to recognize China's full market economy
status at an early date.
He said a socialist market economy has virtually taken shape in China due to
the rapid growth of the non-public sector, which has taken up a considerable
share of the national economy, with the marketplace determining the prices of
more than 90 per cent of products in the nation.
China has streamlined its policies, measures, laws and regulations in order
to keep in line with World Trade Organization (WTO) requirements and Chinese
enterprises have gained an independent footing due to the transformation of
government functions and the deepening of structural reform, said Wen.
And China-based foreign-funded firms will also receive preferential treatment
with regard to taxation and a host of other issues, Wen said.
He said China follows a market-based, single and regulated floating exchange
rate regime and is committed to improving its exchange rate forming mechanism.
With social security coverage expanding steadily, the rights and interests of
workers regarding issues such as pensions, work-related injuries, medical care
and unemployment benefits have been effectively guaranteed.
"I hope the EU will take a full note of these facts and recognize China's
status as a full market economy at an early date," Wen said, adding that such
recognition would undoubtedly lead to a fresh round of expansion in China-EU
trade and economic co-operation.
In the joint press statement, Prodi confirmed that a preliminary assessment
of this issue, without prejudicing the final result, would be given to the
Chinese side by the end of next month.
At the forum, where nearly 500 people from the EU business community took
part, Wen also made a five-point proposal to further expand bilateral economic
ties, which he said are an essential feature of Sino-EU relations.
Bilateral trade reached a record US$125.2 billion in 2003, making the EU
China's third largest trading partner, after the United States and Japan.
Wen proposed that both sides tap their potential to expand scale and increase
volume of bilateral trade. At last year's China-EU Summit in Beijing, Wen
proposed that bilateral trade reach US$200 billion by 2013. He said Sino-EU
trade is likely to top US$150 billion this year.
Wen said China and EU should increase joint high-tech research and
development, with a view to developing internationally competitive products and
opening up new markets, alongside promoting co-operation in traditional areas of
products procurement, technology transfer and investment.
Wen said the two sides should help small and medium-sized businesses emerge
as a vital player in the China-EU economic partnership by offering such services
as information, financing and co-operation platform and giving a full scope to
the role of intermediary agencies.
The premier reiterated that China will continue to honour its commitments to
the WTO by stepping up protection of intellectual property rights and increasing
the fairness and transparency of its trade and economic policies, laws and
regulations.
He called on the EU to ease its restrictions on high-tech exports to China
and lift import bans that are inconsistent with the WTO rules.
Wen also held a separate meeting with Javier Solana, the secretary-general of
the Council of the European Union and High Representative for Common Foreign and
Security Policy on Wednesday.
Wrapping up his visit to the EU headquarters, Wen yesterday flew to Rome to
continue his five-nation European trip.
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