CHINA-EUROPE AFFAIR: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (second right) poses with Czech President Vaclav Klaus (second left), European Commission President José Manuel Barroso (right) and Javier Solana (left), Secretary General of the Council of the European Union and High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, before the China-EU summit in Prague on May 20 HUANG JINGWEN
 
At their latest summit on May 20, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and European leaders reached new consensus on advancing bilateral relations, including sending another Chinese buying mission to Europe and holding the next summit in Beijing in the second half of this year.

Wen attended the 11th China-European Union (EU) summit in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, with Czech President Vaclav Klaus and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso. The Czech Republic now holds the rotating presidency of the EU.

The development of China-EU relations embodies the mutually beneficial cooperation between the biggest developing country and the biggest bloc of developed countries and the friendly exchanges between the two major ancient civilizations, Wen said, according to a news release from China's Foreign Ministry.

The China-EU summit, as a frank dialogue between countries with different social systems, benefits the Chinese and European people and the entire international community, he added.

In the face of the complex and volatile international political and economic situations, China and the EU should uphold their strategic partnership, focus on practical cooperation, keep up with the times, bolster confidence and make joint efforts to promote the all-round, in-depth and sustainable development of bilateral relations, he said.

China and the EU announced they would establish a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2003 after the sixth China-EU summit in Beijing. The EU is China's biggest trade partner, with two-way trade totaling $425.6 billion last year. The average annual growth of the EU's exports to China has exceeded 20 percent in the past five years, making China one of the EU's most important export markets.

Wen urged both sides to give full play to the role of the China-EU summit as well as other consultation mechanisms such as the high-level economic and trade dialogue. He also called for an early conclusion of the China-EU Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.

China and the EU began substantial negotiations on their Partnership and Cooperation Agreement in January 2007. The agreement will replace a 1985 trade and economic pact to serve as a new framework for China-EU relations.

The principles of mutual respect and non-interference in each other's internal affairs are of great importance to China-EU strategic cooperation, Wen said, adding that the two sides should take into consideration each other's core concerns and properly handle sensitive issues. Wen expressed the hope that the EU would recognize China's market economy status and lift its arms embargo against China as soon as possible.

Since they share common interests in coping with the international financial crisis, China and the EU should work together and contribute to the early recovery of the world economy, he said.

The two sides agreed to oppose trade and investment protectionism, increase mutual investment and enhance cooperation in the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, trade facilitation, science and technology, transportation and postal services. They also agreed to strengthen dialogue on macro-economic policy and finance and jointly promote the reform of the global financial system.

The Chinese side promised to send another buying mission to Europe soon. It also hoped the EU would relax its export restrictions on hi-tech products to China to create new areas of trade growth. The buying mission in February following Wen's last visit to Europe concluded some $13 billion in purchase agreements in Germany, Switzerland, Spain and Britain.

With regard to climate change, Wen said for all the impact of the financial crisis, the international community should not waver in its determination or slacken its efforts to address climate change.

Under the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities," China is willing to work with the EU to help bring about positive achievements at the UN climate change conference to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December, he said.

Flashback

The 11th China-EU summit, originally scheduled for December last year, was postponed after French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose country at that time held the rotating EU presidency, met with the Dalai Lama.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Britain and the EU headquarters in Brussels from January 27 to February 2. At a meeting in Brussels, Wen and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso decided to hold a high-level forum on the economy and trade and a China-EU summit in 2009.

Chinese President Hu Jintao met Sarkozy in London on April 1 on the sidelines of the G20 summit, immediately after France reiterated that it adheres to the one-China policy, recognizes that Tibet is an integral part of Chinese territory and refuses to support any form of "Tibet independence" in a joint press communiqué between China and France.

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan co-chaired the China-EU High-Level  Economic and Trade Dialogue with EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton in Brussels on May 7-8.