FM maps out blueprint for EU-China ties
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-02-04 08:53

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, who met in Vienna Friday with the foreign policy troika of the European Union (EU), unveiled a blueprint for boosting relations between the EU and China for 2006.

Li told the EU troika, which consists of Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik, Finland's Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and EU commissioner for external relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner, that both sides should make good preparations for the ninth China-EU summit, to be held in the second half of this year.

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing (L) and Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel share a joke in Schuessel's office in Vienna February 3, 2006.[Reuters]

The foreign minister said both sides should properly handle the trade dispute and keep the momentum of the bilateral trade, urging the EU side to make progress on recognizing China's full market economy status.

Since 2004, the EU has become the biggest trading partner of China and China is the second biggest trading partner of the EU.

While extending appreciation for bilateral cooperation on science last year, the Galileo Project in particular, Li proposed to deepen the cooperation and to start preparations for launching the EU-China Science Year.

He also said China and the EU should continue to enhance communication and cooperation on a number of international outstanding issues like the Iran nuclear issue, the UN reform, and the Middle East situation.

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, left, shakes hands with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, right, as Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik, center looks on, on Friday, Feb. 3, 2006, prior to their talks at the foreign ministry in Vienna.[AP]

The minister also reminded his EU colleagues of tackling China's concerns on various issues.

The EU troika said the EU side would make concerted efforts to achieve a lot at the upcoming EU-China summit, extending hopes that both sides take concrete cooperation measures on trade, civil aviation, environment protection and tourism.

They called for the launch of the talks on the new partnership framework agreement, saying such a comprehensive treaty would fit the requirements of the EU-China strategic relations.

The new partnership framework agreement, if signed by both sides, will become the legal basis for the EU-China relations, and it will replace the current economic cooperation agreement, which was signed in 1985.

The EU trokia vowed to make more efforts on recognizing China's full market economy status.

They also said the EU adheres to the one-China policy.