The 9th China-EU summit was held on Saturday in Helsinki, and
leaders from both sides vowed to deepen the comprehensive strategic
partnership between China and the European Union (EU).
The yearly summit, attended by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Finnish Prime Minister Matti
Vanhanen whose country is holding the EU presidency, and European
Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, decided to launch the
talks on the new partnership agreement.
"In order to reflect the full breadth and depth of today's
comprehensive strategic partnership between the EU and China, the
two sides agreed to launch negotiations on a Partnership and
Cooperation Agreement ...," said the joint statement issued after
the summit.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said early signing of the agreement
is helpful to pushing forward the comprehensive cooperation in
various fields like politics, economy, science and technology,
culture, education and security.
Wen also said that both sides also agree to strengthen the
political strategic dialogue between China and the EU, enhance the
substantial cooperation in trade, sustainable development,
environment protection, social security and finance services, and
make more coordination in the international affairs.
According to Chinese officials, EU leaders believed that what’s
to do next is to expand the scope for bilateral cooperation,
increase the in-depth cooperation and lift the cooperation up to a
higher level.
Speaking at the press conference after the summit, Wen Jiabao
called on the European side to make correct political resolution
independently for lifting arms ban against China and granting China
full market economy status.
Wen said such a move, which was made by "proceeding from
strategic and long-term point of view," could wipe out barriers
amidst the growth of Sino-European ties.
The lifting of arms ban and granting the full market economy
status to China "comply with Europe's own interests," he?said,
adding that "the earlier the problems be resolved, the more
benefits it could bring."
In a joint statement issued after the summit, it said leaders
between the two sides discussed the EU arms embargo.
"The EU side recognized the importance of this issue and
confirmed its willingness to carry forward work towards lifting the
embargo on the basis of the Joint Statement of the 2004 EU-China
Summit and subsequent European Council Conclusions," the document
said.
The EU and Chinese leaders also talked on a wide range of
international hot issues like Iranian nuclear issue, the Korean
peninsular nuclear issue and Darfur.
At the press conference, Wen urged the international community
to continue diplomatic efforts to resolve the Iranian nuclear
issue.
Wen said the Iranian nuclear issue entered into a crucial stage,
and more concerted diplomatic efforts should be made by the
international community.
Wen said sanctions or pressure would not be helpful to resolving
this issue, adding that the international community and various
parties should be cautious?about imposing sanctions against
Iran.
China adheres to the principle of non-proliferation and it
opposes to proliferation of nuclear weapons, said the Chinese
premier.
China hopes that Iran would not develop nuclear weapons, said
Wen, adding that China also hopes that the Middle East situation
would not deteriorate.?
The premier expressed his appreciation for the EU's diplomatic
efforts on resolving the issue, noting that EU foreign policy chief
Javier Solana was in Vienna for talks on the issue.
In the meantime, Wen also urged Iran to respond to the concerns
of the international community and take constructive measures, so
as to facilitate the resolving of the issue.
As for China, Wen said it will join hands with the international
community, especially with other parties within the six-state
mechanism, to explore a peaceful solution to the issue.
On Saturday, Solana held talks with Iran's top nuclear
negotiator Ali Larijani in Vienna, Austria, aiming to crack the
deadlock of the Iran nuclear issue.
As for concrete cultural cooperation between the EU and China,
the summit announced a five-year scheme to encourage students from
EU countries to learn Chinese.
As from 2007, the Chinese government will provide 100
scholarships per year for EU young students, said the joint
statement released by the summit.?
The move was welcome by Barroso, who hailed the project as a
"concrete cooperation."
(Xinhua News Agency September 10, 2006)