Opinion

Passengers in a common boat

By Dai Bingguo (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-05-16 14:41

Countries must interact harmoniously and cooperate to deal with the problems and challenges of the 21st century

Dear members of the press, I wish to thank Lady Ashton for inviting me and my colleagues to Budapest for the second round of the China-EU High-Level Strategic Dialogue. Around 20 years ago, I worked in Budapest and spent a most memorable time in Hungary, a fascinating and beautiful country, one endowed with human talent and rich resources. I am very excited to be back.

Last year, Lady Ashton and I had our first Strategic Dialogue in my hometown Guiyang in Guizhou province. Besides a full day of productive discussions, Lady Ashton also visited a village near Guiyang, which is far less developed than Europe of course. Through our first dialogue, we deepened mutual understanding and trust and promoted cooperation between China and Europe.

I flew here this morning from Washington DC after the close of the third round of the China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue. Without taking time to rest, I talked with Lady Ashton for more than five hours. Our discussions were very productive, wide-ranging and candid. In this very complex and fast-changing world, China and Europe must carry out in-depth communication and discussions. I will continue my dialogue with Lady Ashton next year in China.

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In our dialogue this afternoon, we talked about the trend for peace, development and cooperation in the world. This trend is sweeping and irresistible. Those who conform to this trend will prosper and those who go against it will decline. We both believe that there is an unprecedented degree of interdependence in today's world. No country can meet the challenges alone. To deal with the new problems and challenges of the 21st century, we all have to see ourselves as passengers in a common boat, interact with one another harmoniously and work together.

China sees the European Union as a very important force - indeed an important pole - in today's world. It attaches great importance to its relationship with the EU, a relationship that faces an important opportunity for further development. We should work together to find new ideas and take our relationship to a higher level. I agree with Lady Ashton that China and Europe should set a good example for international cooperation in the 21st century. China's 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) and the Europe 2020 Strategy provide a good framework for deepening our all-round cooperation. Both sides are determined to make good use of it to promote our shared development and prosperity. Lady Ashton and I agree that China and Europe need to respect each other as equals and increase mutual trust so as to create better conditions for the development of our relations.

Lady Ashton and I also discussed many topical issues in the world, such as the financial crisis, the situation in West Asia and North Africa and the devastating disasters in Japan. West Asia and North Africa are in Europe's neighborhood and closer to you geographically than to us. China sincerely hopes that these regions can return to stability soon, that their economies can have good growth and their people can have better lives. We hope these regions can enjoy their due standing and dignity in the world. We always believe that the issues of the world should be resolved through dialogue and political means, rather than force. We need to trust that the relevant peoples have the wisdom and capacity to solve their own problems and find development paths suited to their national conditions.

We also discussed the issue of human rights. We agreed to hold the next round of the China-EU Human Rights Dialogue in June. I set forth China's position on human rights and informed Lady Ashton of the historic progress China has made in this area. Let me tell you that China is a country with a long history and civilization and political wisdom. We are good at learning from our own and others' experiences. We will follow our own path in keeping with our national conditions and remain firmly committed to the path of peaceful development. Lady Ashton said that China is not Europe. I might add that Europe is not China either. China and Europe should respect each other, interact harmoniously and seek common development and prosperity. We are both determined to focus on cooperation so as to benefit the people of China and Europe.

I wish to thank the Government of Hungary for providing good facilities for our dialogue. Godollo is a beautiful and historically famous little town. My colleagues and I are very appreciative of the warm and friendly reception and very thoughtful arrangements Lady Ashton and the EU side made for us.

Two days from now, I will be back in Beijing for the visit of President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy. We wish his visit to China a great success. Thank you.

The author is China's State councilor. The article is the remarks Dai made to the press after the Second Round of the China-EU High-Level Strategic Dialogue in Hungary on May 12.