On September 15 local time, the third meeting of China-EU High-Level People-to-People Dialogue (HPPD) Mechanism was held in Brussels. Vice Premier Liu Yandong and European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Tibor Navracsics co-chaired the meeting and delivered speeches.
Liu Yandong noted that over the past three years since its establishment, the China-EU High-Level People-to-People Dialogue (HPPD) has yielded fruitful results, becoming the three pillars promoting the development of China-EU relations together with political mutual trust as well as economic and trade cooperation. The meeting, which corresponds with the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU, exerts important significance in implementing the important consensus reached by the leaders of both sides on forging the four major partnerships for peace, growth, reform and civilization. Both sides should uphold mutual respect and mutual trust, treat each other sincerely, and regard each other as peaceful power and development opportunities; make a bigger cake of shared interests by pursuing mutual benefit, reciprocity, and practical cooperation; learn from and help each other, share opportunities, address challenges together and share the dividends of reform; and learn from and integrate into each other for common prosperity. China is looking forward to, together with the EU, further enhancing cooperation in education, science and technology, culture, media, youth, women, tourism and other sectors, pooling the mind, strength, wisdom and public opinion of the people, and striving for a more resilient, enthusiastic and prosperous China-EU relations, so as to inject new vitality and impetus into the development of China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership.
Tibor Navracsics expressed that people-to-people and cultural exchanges play a leading role in the EU-China relations. The philosophy of "harmony in diversity" upheld by the bilateral people-to-people and cultural exchanges conduces to enhancing mutual understanding and trust between the EU and China and achieving the integration and mutual learning of western and oriental civilizations. The EU is willing to enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges and cooperation with China by sticking to an open spirit featured by mutual respect.
Liu Yandong and Tibor Navracsics jointly signed the Joint Statement of Third Meeting of China-EU High-Level People-to-People Dialogue Mechanism, witnessed the signing of cooperation agreements covering education, science and technology together, and attended the inauguration ceremony of the Confucius Classroom at European Schools and the awarding ceremony of the creative contest "China Unlimited".
On the evening, Liu Yandong, together with Tibor Navracsics, Princess Marie-Esméralda of Belgium, Chairman of EU-China Friendship Group of the European Parliament Wome, as well as others were present at the premiere of Friendship of Forty Years.