Elevating a vital partnership

Economic and cultural exchanges and political trust can help narrow China-Europe differences and expand cooperation

Editor's note: Vice-Foreign Minister Song Tao addressed a seminar on the situation in Europe and China-Europe relations in Xiamen, Fujian province, on Aug 16. His remarks follow:

Both the political and economic landscapes of the world are undergoing profound and complex changes. Under the new circumstances, it is important for us to have a correct understanding of Europe and cultivate a sound China-Europe relationship.

Europe has always featured prominently in China's diplomacy. The past 10 years have seen China-Europe relations constantly moving to higher levels. China and the European Union launched a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2003, scaling a new height in their ties. The annual China-EU summit mechanism has strengthened mutual understanding and trust, and helped bring about all-round and multi-tiered cooperation across a wide range of fields.

The two sides have put in place other mechanisms, too, such as a high-level economic and trade dialogue, a high-level strategic dialogue and a high-level people-to-people dialogue, which act as the three pillars of cooperation in the political, economic and people-to-people fields.

The past 10 years have also seen result-oriented cooperation between China and Europe becoming increasingly fruitful. Since 2004, the EU has been China's largest trading partner. It is also a major source of investment and technology for China. By holding the inaugural China-Germany inter-government consultations, China has set up such a mechanism for the first time with a major Western country.

China and France have cooperated productively in aviation, nuclear energy and low-carbon energy. And China and the United Kingdom have made good progress in infrastructure and investment cooperation.

Besides, the successful leaders' meeting between China and 16 Central and Eastern European countries is an important innovation in the modality and content of China-Europe cooperation.

In the past decade, the two sides have constantly upgraded their coordination and cooperation in the international arena. In the wake of the Sept 11, 2001 attack on the US and the Iraq War, and in light of new developments in the world, China and the EU have worked vigorously to promote a multipolar world and inter-civilization dialogue and exchanges.

Since the global financial crisis, China and the EU have been working together at G20 summits and other forums to promote reforms in the international economic and financial order. The two sides have also held extensive dialogue on and cooperated in regional affairs in the Asia-Pacific region, Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East and on such global issues as arms control, nonproliferation, human rights and climate change.

Even after Europe was hit by a sovereign debt crisis, China continued to view the situation in Europe in the context of its overall development and economic and social fundamentals. It has maintained a strategic and long-term perspective and stayed committed to furthering its relations with Europe. And it has actively conveyed its confidence in Europe and its integration process.

The past 10 years of China-Europe relations have shown that the two sides are indispensable partners in cooperation, be it in their respective development or in international affairs.

Right now, China and Europe both have new historical opportunities and broad prospects of development. China has always believed that a united, stable and prosperous Europe is in its interests. Europe, on its part, sees closer cooperation with China as its strategic necessity rather than expediency.

We stand ready to join hands with Europe, invest further in China-Europe relations, and work for faster expansion of our relations at higher levels. To this end, I wish to suggest the following:

Politically, China and the EU should respect and trust each other, and work to increase strategic mutual trust. China will stick to its path of peaceful development and dedicate itself to closer cooperation with other countries. China and the EU should view each other's development as an important opportunity. They should learn from each other and share their respective development experiences through closer, high-level contacts and political dialogue.