| Author (Person) | Davies, Eric | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Publisher | ProQuest Information and Learning | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Series Details | 3.11.03 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Publication Date | 03/11/2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content Type | News, Overview, Topic Guide | In Focus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The sixth EU-China Summit was held on 30 October 2003 in Beijing. Agreements signed by the two sides covered intellectual property, industrial policy, tourist visas, and the Galileo satellite navigation system. Speaking before the Summit, European Commission President Romano Prodi said 'EU-China relations have expanded rapidly in recent years. As the EU enlarges and China continues to emerge on the world stage, our bilateral and international agenda is more challenging than ever and this summit affords a major opportunity to move forward together.' China's President Hu Jintao said after the Summit that 'China always hopes to develop its relations with the EU from a strategic and long-term perspective. China agrees with the EU proposal on developing a full strategic partnership, and is ready, on the basis of mutual respect and seeking common ground while reserving differences, to promote bilateral political ties to grow in a healthy and stable way. China is also ready to push forward cooperation in all areas in the spirit of consultation on an equal footing and mutual benefit, to expand friendship and understanding on the basis of learning from each other.' The Summit followed in the wake of two policy documents on EU-China relations, one published by the European Commission on 10 September, the other issued a month later by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The sixth EU-China Summit The first EU-China Annual Summit took place in London in April 1998. The latest Summit, the sixth, took place in Beijing on 30 October 2003, with the EU represented by President of the Council Silvio Berlusconi, President of the European Commission Romano Prodi, and the EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana. The major figures on the Chinese side were President of the People's Republic Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Wen Jiabiao. This was the highest-level meeting between the two sides since the new Chinese administration was appointed in March 2003. Issues discussed at the Summit were summarised in a Joint Press Statement released after the event. Leaders welcomed progress in relations since the previous Summit, held in Copenhagen in September 2002 and 'stressed their resolve to further expand and deepen China-EU relations, guided by the two policy papers, which promote the development of an overall strategic partnership between China and the EU.' Two items drew particular attention from commentators. The first was the agreement on the Galileo satellite navigation system, which followed approval by the Environment Council on 27 October of a Commission Decision authorising the signing of a Cooperation Agreement between the EU and China on Galileo. Earlier, on 19 September, a joint China-Europe Global Navigation Satellite System Technical Training and Co-operation Centre (CENC) had been inaugurated. The Centre, which will serve as a focal point for activities on Galileo, is located in Beijing, and was created as a joint venture between the European Commission, the European Space Agency, the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Chinese Remote Sensing Centre. The second notable item was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Approved Destination Status (ADS), which is expected to help increase Chinese group tourism in the EU by simplifying visa procedures. Amongst the other issues noted in the joint statement were: industrial policy, trade, foreign direct investment, the failure of the WTO Ministerial Meeting in Cancun, scientific and technological cooperation, customs cooperation, civil aviation, environmental protection, human rights, the fight against terrorism, and illegal migration and trafficking in human beings. Leaders also highlighted the importance of sector-specific dialogues, with competition, intellectual property rights, macro-economic questions, health, employment and education identified as new areas for discussion. In a statement issued the day after the Summit, President Hu Jintao said that China 'always hopes to develop its relations with the EU from a strategic and long-term perspective. China agrees with the EU proposal on developing a full strategic partnership, and is ready, on the basis of mutual respect and seeking common ground while reserving differences, to promote bilateral political ties to grow in a healthy and stable way. China is also ready to push forward cooperation in all areas in the spirit of consultation on an equal footing and mutual benefit, to expand friendship and understanding on the basis of learning from each other. On the same day, at a meeting in the Great Hall of the People, Premier Wen Jiabao made four proposals for promoting relations between the two sides:
The EU's policy paper on China The European Union's current policy towards China is based on the May 2001 EU Strategy towards China: Implementation of the 1998 Communication and Future Steps for a more Effective EU Policy. It can be summarised as:
The European Union's latest policy paper, A maturing partnership - shared interests and challenges in EU-China relations, was endorsed by the General Affairs Council of 13 October 2003. It sets out a framework for the development of EU-China relations over the next two to three years, identifying six priority areas:
Speaking about the paper, The Union's External Relations Commissioner, Chris Patten, said: 'The last decade has seen a dynamic growth of the relationship between the EU and China which has expanded well beyond the traditional areas of trade, investment and technical assistance. These changes have brought about a new maturity in the relationship characterised by an increasingly close policy co-ordination in many areas. We have a major political and economic interest in China's successful transition to a stable, prosperous and open country which fully embraces democracy, free market principles and the rule of law, and we will do our utmost to support this transition process.' China's policy paper on the EU On the same day that the General Affairs Council approved the Commission's latest policy statement on China, the Chinese Government issued its first paper EU policy paper. The Foreword states: 'The European Union (EU) is a major force in the world. The Chinese Government appreciates the importance the EU and its members attach to developing relations with China. The present EU Policy Paper of the Chinese Government is the first of its kind and aims to highlight the objectives of China's EU policy, and outline the areas and plans of cooperation and related measures in the next five years so as to enhance China-EU all-round cooperation and promote a long-term and stable development of China-EU relations.' China's EU policy objectives are summarised as:
The main section of the document - Part Three - is devoted to elaborating on specific aspects of cooperation between the two parties, divided into five broad headings:
Commission President Romano Prodi welcomed the paper, calling it 'a significant contribution towards further deepening dialogue and cooperation in our bilateral relations' and saying 'we will now undertake a thorough examination of the Chinese proposals, with a view to defining, together with China, the most promising new avenues to be explored. The next EU-China Summit ... will provide a good occasion to take these matters forward.' Further information within European Sources Online
Further information can be seen in these external links: EU Institutions
European Commission Other organisations
News organisations
Eric Davies Background and reporting on the week's main stories in the European Union and the wider Europe. |
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