China-EU 40 Years: A New Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
(15 September, 2015)
Mr. Chairman Jan Cornels, Vice Rector of VUB,
Dear Jo Leinen, MP and President of the Delegation for the Relations with China of the European Parliament,
Distinguished participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am delighted to join you this morning among such an impressive gathering of experts from China and Europe.
At the outset, I would like to congratulate the organizers -- the China Scholarship Council, VrijeUniversiteit Brussels (VUB), Renmin University of China, Fudan University and Sichuan University for holding this Forum and commend their untiring efforts to promote understanding and partnership between China and the EU.
The theme of this Forum “China-EU 40 Years: A New Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” is apt as China-EU relationship is moving into a new decade. It embodies our aspiration for shared future of peace and prosperity and increased cooperative ties based on mutual understanding and equal partnership.
As we look back, we have every reason to be proud that the past four decades of China-EU relationship has been a track record of win-win progress, characterized by strategicness, comprehensiveness and steadiness.
Amidst the profound and complex changes in the international arena, China and the EU have established full-fledged and fully functioning institutional mechanisms and engaged in high-level and strategic exchanges to build up trust and confidence and work together to promote multilateralism to ensure effective, coordinated and coherent responses to global challenges.
Through concerted efforts and vigorous cooperation, China-EU relations have evolved and matured transcending the realm of trade to now cover a wide spectrum of political-security, economic and social-cultural cooperation.
Trade relations between China and the EU have witnessed tremendous expansion from US$2.4 billion in 1975 to US$615 billion in 2014. The EU has been China’s largest trading partner over the past ten consecutive years, and China is the EU’s second largest trading partner.
In spite of their differences, China and the EU, abided by the principles of equality, respect and trust, have been able to identify and work on areas of common interest, resolve differences through effective bilateral mechanism for coordination and cooperation, and ensure sound and steady progress of their relationship.
Undoubtedly, as one of the most important bilateral relations in today’s world, China-EU relationship has come a long way and is a stimulus for progress and a source of economic opportunities benefiting both China and the EU and the rest of the world.
While 2015 is a milestone, there remain challenges in the horizon.
China has entered a crucial stage of realizing its goal of building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way, and fulfilling the task of mid-to-high speed of growth and mid-to-high end of development.
The EU is trying to forge more Europe in its Union and more Union in its Union and addressing the immense internal and external challenges so as to deliver change and make a difference on the big economic and social agenda.
The world we live in is undergoing continuous profound changes and faced with many challenges.
Against this backdrop, it is imperative upon us to enhance and advance beyond 2015 China-EU Comprehensive Strategic Partnership featuring peace, growth, reform and civilization to realize our shared aspiration for peace, prosperity and progress.
First, further enhance mutual trust and confidence.
A strategic relationship needs to be founded on strategic trust. This entails mutual respect, long-term vision, commitment to peaceful development and an approach of win-win rather than zero sum game.
Historically, it seemed inevitable for major countries, especially emerging powers and established powers, to engage in competition and end up in confrontation or even conflict.
As a permanent member of the UN Security Council and the most important developing socialist country in the world, China does not subscribe to such a pattern.
As stated by President Xi Jinping at commemoration of 70th anniversary of war victory, China will remain committed to peaceful development. No matter how much stronger it may become, China will never seek hegemony or expansion, and the Chinese people are resolved to pursue friendly relations with all other countries.
In the same vain, it is important that all our partners pursue peaceful development and stay committed to looking beyond and transcending differences and steadfastly rejecting thoughts and behaviors that challenge the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.
Second, vigorously explore new dimensions of cooperation.
To ensure our partnership deliver on its full promise and collectively rise up to the challenges we are faced with, our two leaders, during the 17th China-EU Summit last June, set forth a set of credible and realistic objectives that we need to focus on in the years to come.
Firstly, support and participate in each other’s initiatives. China believes that its development agenda enjoy a certain degree of synergy with the EU’s strategy including the 315billion euro European Fund for Strategic Investment which aims to foster long-term growth and job creation. In view of this, we will work closely with the EU to explore ways and means of co-financing and initiating projects and work out concrete road-map for implementation during the upcoming China-EU High-Level Economic Dialogue.
Secondly, promote connectivity. We will align the One Belt One Road initiative short for Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road with EU’s development agenda, including the plan to advance transportation corridors. Given that some central eastern countries of Europe are in need of advancing infrastructure building, and China is in the position to provide high quality and good price technology, products and equipment, such an alignment and cooperation in production capacity will boost jobs and growth in Europe and create opportunities for China to invest in the EU. This will also facilitate boosting the world economy.
Thirdly, strengthen dialogue and cooperation in the digital area. We will reinforce cooperation on innovative projects relating to Internet, e-commerce, advanced digital services, 5G, cyber security, big data and smart cities and smart energy.
Fourthly, enhance dialogue and communication on legal affairs. To promote sound development of our cooperation and enabling environment for business, we will establish with the EU a consultation mechanism on justice and law enforcement cooperation to deepen understanding of each other’s legal systems
Fifthly, expand people-to-people exchanges. To build solid foundations for cooperation and promote inter-civilization communication, China and the EU are committed to expanding and facilitating people-to-people exchanges. As a concrete step in this direction, the EU member states could establish some 15 visa application centers in authorized Chinese cities where there is no Embassy or Consulate. And we shall also further expand exchanges between the academics, research institutes and think-tanks of our two sides to contribute to a more active and cooperative China-EU partnership.
Apart from these newly emerging five key areas of cooperation, we will intensify efforts aiming at the expeditious conclusion of an ambitious and Comprehensive China-EU Investment Agreement. We also hope that China and the EU will look into a deep and comprehensive China-EU FTA. Though this might be a longer term perspective, it is our belief that such an arrangement will be a win-win deal for both China and the EU. We will deepen financial cooperation, as well as cooperation on science, technology and innovation, human resources development, sustainable growth and urbanization.
Third, work closely on major global issues.
Now the world is undergoing profound changes and faced with many challenges. As key international players, China and the EU all have a stake in the success of multilateral efforts to effectively confront global issues and contribute to world peace, development, cooperation and win-win and make the international order and system more just and equitable.
China and the EU have and will continue to work constructively together, and with other countries to reach an ambitious 2015 agreement that reflects the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in light of different national circumstances at the United Nations Climate Conference in Paris in 2015.
We have and will continue to work together for a fair, inclusive and sustainable post-2015 development agenda, intensify coordination on global economic governance and communication on macro-financial policy under the G20 framework and strengthen communication and coordination on issues concerning countering terrorism in all forms, non-proliferation, cyber-crime, drug trafficking and other forms of transnational crimes and securing safety of navigation in Somalia and the Gulf of Aden and promoting peace and security in Africa.
Last but not least, stay committed to broadening common grounds and resolving differences through dialogue and consultation.
Given the size of China-EU trade and their closer ties, there is bound to be trade frictions, big or small. This is but very normal. What really matters is the political commitment of both China and the EU to always keep their long-term fundamental interest in mind and handle their differences and trade frictions in a discreet and non-intrusive manner through dialogue and consultation and work out mutually agreed and beneficial solutions.
We believe that China-EU relations are mature, resilient and strong enough to withstand all kinds of trials and tribulations.
Before I conclude, I would like to share briefly with you China's economic performance as China-EU is closely intertwined economically and that many of you are interested in the future prospect of China’s development.
On the whole, the Chinese economy is steady and moving in the right direction. Economic structural adjustment has picked up speed. And China's industrial development is upgrading and the economy is being driven by new growth engines.
There is no denying that China is facing downward pressure and some deep-seated problems. But these are "growing pains".
We will strike a proper balance between steady growth and structural adjustment, continue to implement the proactive fiscal policy and prudent monetary policy, and strengthen targeted regulation on the basis of range-based regulation so as to cushion the downward pressure through deeper reform and opening-up.
Given the size and resilience of the Chinese market, its sound fundamentals and a variety of regulation tools, we have both the confidence and the capabilities to meet the target set for this year, and we will strive to sustain medium-high rate of growth and move the Chinese economy toward medium-high level of development.
To conclude, in the words of Confucius:“At forty, I had no more doubts.”
With China-EU diplomatic ties entering its 40th year, we see a brighter future for China-EU Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. As the two great forces for peace, two huge markets and two great civilizations, China and the EU will do more and will do much better to bring their relationship to its full strategic potential.
Starting modestly, the China-EU Think Tank Forum has shown increasing promise and relevance as a platform in promoting better understanding and close cooperation between China and the EU. At this forum, we look forward to enlightening and thought-provoking debates and recommendations and I would like to wish the speakers and participants a very successful meeting.
Thank you!