In recent years, relations between China and the European Union (EU) have made considerable development, persistently marching step by step towards a higher goal. The partnership between China and the EU has developed from a constructive relationship to an overall partnership and from there, has entered into a comprehensive strategic partnership. China and the EU have established a multi-layered and wide ranging dialogue and have published policies on bilateral relations. Moreover, China and the EU have started negotiations on entering into partnership agreements. All of these enable China and the EU to have a much more mature and solid political relationship. Both parties have overcome various difficulties and setbacks and maintained healthy and stable developments of bilateral relations. China and the EU have achieved substantial accomplishments in various cooperative areas, such as the economy and trade, science and technology and education and culture, resulting in a much closer link between the two parties.
Being the world's two major rising powers, China and the EU have conducted increasingly deep and extensive cooperation in international affairs. Their cooperative areas have expanded gradually from hot regional issues to global issues. It could be said that the relationship between China and the EU is a model for countries with different social systems, different development patterns and in different stages of development, to independently develop their relationship on the basis of equality and mutual respect.
Economic and trade relations are the most important constituents of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership. In 2008, the trade volume between China and the EU reached 425.6 billion USD, 177 times higher than that of 1975, when China and the European Economic Community established diplomatic relations. The EU is now China's largest trade partner, largest export market, largest source of origin for Chinese imports, and the fourth largest source of foreign investment. Moreover, China is the EU's second largest trade partner, and Chinese products lead to savings of 300 euros on average for each family in Europe every year. European enterprises have repeatedly made outstanding achievements in the Chinese market, and have maintained growth in their operations in China, even with the global economic slump.
Currently, the global financial crisis has brought a negative impact to global trade, and trade between China and the EU has decreased for several consecutive months. Confronted with a complicated and grim situation, both China and the EU stress that efforts should be made to open up to each other as well as fight against protectionism. According to a joint declaration by both sides during a visit by Premier Wen Jiabao to Europe at the beginning of this year, China and the EU will further enhance convenience and freedom as well as maintain an open, free and fair environment for trade and investment, and jointly create business opportunities. Procurement contracts worth 13.6 billion USD were signed with European enterprises during a visit to Europe by the China Trade and Investment Promotion Group, which fully embodies China's firm attitude towards its commitment to opening up to the outside world and in helping the recovery of global economic growth.
In looking at the future, China has complete confidence in economic and trade cooperation between China and the EU. The economies of both China and the EU enjoy their respective advantages and complement with each other very well. The EU enjoys an obvious comparative advantage in products with high technological content as well as high value and capital-intensive products, while China's advantage lies mainly in labor-intensive products. This type of product can help cut costs immensely for European enterprises and their consumers, therefore bringing them enormous benefits. China's large and ever-increasing market means huge business opportunities for EU enterprises.
Given the current situation, the two sides should maintain and develop the positive momentum existing in bilateral economic and trade cooperation, following the principles of equality, mutual benefit and friendly consultation. They should continue to open up to one another to cultivate a sound environment, intensify bilateral dialogues and appropriately solve differences, expand the scope of cooperation to achieve sustainable development, take practical steps to boost trade and investment and strengthen cooperation among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to foster new economic growth points.
The second China-EU high-level trade and economic dialogue is to be held on May 7 in Brussels. It is believed that the successful hosting of high-level dialogues and a series of exchange activities between senior officials of the two parties will offer a significant boost to the continued and stable development of China-EU economic and trade relations, and promote a win-win cooperation of friendliness and mutual benefit between China and the EU at a higher level, in respect of economy, trade and a variety of other fields.
China believes long-term sound and stable development in China-EU relations can exist provided the two parties can clearly appreciate both the historical trend for development of bilateral relations and a foundation of common benefit, while always maintaining close collaborations to seek common ground and accepting existing differences, as well as uniting their efforts. China-EU relations of this kind will bring about more benefits to people in China and the EU, and make greater contributions to promote world peace and prosperity.
By People's Daily Online
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