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10:17, September 27, 2008 |
China-EU reach trade consensus
The European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said at the press conference in Beijing on Sept. 26 that the world's perception of China had changed positively particularly following the Olympic Games. He calls for joint efforts with China to stand against the protectionist tendencies and push the Doha round forward in the face of the international financial crisis.
On Sept. 25 Mr. Mandelson co-chaired with Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming the 23rd China-EU joint Economic and Trade Committee in Beijing. Consensus on more trade opportunities have been reached in their talks.
"China is keeping a level head as a trusted partner", said Mr. Mandelson, adding that "more people now associate China with creativity, style and strength and see it as a well-organized player on the world's stage".
However, there is still a sense in Europe that China makes life difficult. That, noted Mr. Mandelson, could fuel protectionist tendencies.
(video: European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson warns against protectionism amid international financial crisis)
In his meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan, he said, both of them agreed that the High-Level Economic and Trade Dialogue Mechanism launched in April this year would play an important role in building up openness, confidence and trust to boost positive investment between EU and China. The second dialogue will be held in spring next year 2009 in Brussels.
Another consensus reached at his meeting with Vice Premier Wang Qishan, according to Mr. Mandelson, is the two priorities for the future joint efforts. China and EU will work on balanced and reciprocal investment rules and encourage trade on environmental goods, services and technologies while building a low carbon economy.
He highlighted the importance of the EU-China relationship in the triangle relations of the three major economic and financial players in which the US is still "the dominant force". He described the EU-China relations as having "high degree of optimism and cooperation" and the interdependence between the two sides would grown in the process of weathering the international financial turmoil.
He disclosed that he would send a message to Lou Jiwei, chairman of China Investment Corporate in their meeting that day that EU would be happy to see China's stake in the international financial system grow. "China has always acted in an objective and responsible way through its use of sovereign wealth", he said.
Mr. Mandelson appreciates China's "constructive role" in the ministerial meeting of the Doha Development Agenda in Geneva in July this year, adding that EU and China would continue to work together for the success of the talks.
By People's Daily Online
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