Visit shows EU seeks deeper cooperation
Editor's Note: President Xi Jinping visited Italy, Monaco and France from March 21 to 26. Why is the visit important for China-European Union relations? Two experts share their views on the issue with China Daily's Pan Yixuan. Excerpts follow:
Visit sets positive tones for China-EU relations
Xi's visit to the three European countries has yielded substantial fruits of cooperation, the most significant being the signing of a memorandum of understanding between China and Italy paving the way for Italy to participate in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative to promote mutual development.
The cooperation deals in fields such as trade and infrastructure that Italy has signed with China will help the Italian government to boost the country's economic recovery. For instance, the export of Sicily's red oranges to China by air will be a small but important step toward boosting bilateral trade.
By becoming the first G7 member to join the Belt and Road Initiative, Italy has set an example for other European countries on how to strengthen cooperation with China in the future.
As for China and France, the two countries inked agreements on deepening joint development, particularly through industrial cooperation. The two sides also signed billions of dollars worth of contracts.
Now that French President Emmanuel Macron, a firm supporter of European integration, has taken measures to improve China-France cooperation, the healthy and fruitful progress of Sino-French ties can in turn promote better China-EU relations. Macron has always emphasized France's position in the European integration project and China supports his efforts.
By reaching agreements on cooperation, Xi and Macron have paved the way for not only deeper Sino-French cooperation but also overall Sino-EU cooperation, which was highlighted during Xi's meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.
But since challenges co-exist with opportunities, China should maintain regular communication with its EU partners, seek mutual benefits and use innovative mechanisms to realize better cooperation.
Tian Dewen, deputy director general of the Institute of European Studies of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
Sino-EU cooperation has great potential
As one of the world's three largest economies and a strong driving force of multilateralism, the EU is an important cooperation partner of China in fields such as free trade, international issues and global governance.
Xi's visit to the three EU member states shows a great potential for China-EU cooperation is still to be tapped. The EU's wish to deepen cooperation with China was reflected in what the EU states said about strengthening Sino-EU cooperation through a coherent strategy at Xi's meeting with Merkel and Junker.
But China should realize that some EU countries have become increasingly cautious about deepening cooperation with China because of its rapid development; in fact, a few EU countries have decided to implement tougher measures for foreign trade. The European Commission even put forward a 10-point policy package on China on March 11, which the European Council discussed on March 21.
But the fact that the Commission sees China as a "cooperation partner", "negotiating partner", "economic competitor" as well as a "systemic rival" means it wants to build on the partnership of strategic cooperation with China.
The EU's attempt to coordinate the concerns of its different members and its efforts to continue dialogue with China reflect cooperation are not a subjective choice of one single EU country but an objective choice for the mutual interest of all the parties involved.
China has addressed many of the EU's concerns to strengthen cooperation, including further opening-up. And it should keep taking measures to strengthen cooperation and communication to settle the disputes with EU countries and meet the emerging challenges.
Feng Zhongping, vice-president of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations
