EU And China Hope To Forge Closer Partnership

by Ulrika Lomas, for LawAndTax-News.com, Brussels

11 September 2006

At the 9th Annual EU-China Summit on September 9, Chinese and European leaders discussed the full range of bilateral and international issues, with particular focus on strengthening co-operation to address some of today’s key global challenges.

According to the European Commission, they discussed issues including the environment and climate change, readmission, human rights, and economic and trade questions, including improved EU access to the Chinese market.

They also covered energy security, where both sides recognised the importance of working closely together and on the importance of a rules-based market approach.

The European Commission was represented by President José Manuel Barroso and Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner. The Chinese delegation was led by Prime Minister Wen Jiabao.

On the eve of the Summit, Barroso stated that:

“This year’s EU-China Summit provides an opportunity to consolidate our increasingly broad and fruitful partnership and emphasize our political will to further expand and deepen relations. As two major players on the world stage, we will look at international issues such as non-proliferation in Iran and Korea, development issues, particularly in Africa, climate change, building on our joint declaration last year, and energy security”.

In 2004 both sides agreed to broaden their relationship into a strategic partnership. It was also agreed in 2005 to move towards negotiations on a new EU-China framework agreement.

At the end of this year the European Commission will produce a new strategy on China which will build on Summit outcomes to set out a new strategic vision for a stronger and closer partnership between the EU and China.

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