| The 20th Meeting of China-EU Mixed Committee on Trade and Economic Cooperation Held in Brussels |
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| Wednesday,November 09,2005 Posted: 23:55 BJT(55 GMT) MOFCOM |
The 20th meeting of China-EU mixed committee on trade and economic cooperation was held at EU headquarters on November 4 in Brussels. Bo Xilai, Minister of Commerce and Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU Commissioner for External Relations, and Peter Mandelson, EU trade Commissioner co-chaired the meeting. The two sides reviewed development of China-EU economy and trade, exchanged views on questions of common concern and reached consensus on a series of problems.
EU side highly appraised China-EU relations and economic & trade cooperation. Benita Ferrero-Waldner said that two successful meetings of China-EU leaders embodied the importance and development of China-EU strategic partnership relations. Economic and trade cooperation was most important and key content of China-EU bilateral relations, and it needed joint efforts to promote and extend economic and trade cooperation. Peter Mandelson said China was an important trading partner of EU and China-EU trade and investment development made economic interest closer.
Minister Bo Xilai said that China attached great importance to development and overall strategic and economic & trading partnership with EU. Bilateral trade and economic cooperation between China and EU obtained outstanding and encouraging achievements under highly attention and promotion of the two leaders. In the 30 years since establishment of China-EU diplomatic relations, the bilateral trade value was up by 74 times and it was projected to be US$200 billion, EU was the biggest trading partner. China-EU carried out efficient dialogue and cooperation in the field of science & technology, education, tourism, energy, finance, industry, agriculture, transportation, civil aviation, information, sanitation and quality checking, and bilateral development and cooperation was undergone smoothly.
Bo Xilai said that there were various market economy modes, China obtained enormous achievements in building market economic system, therefore, China's mode should be recognized, and it was also the important premise for promoting China-EU economic and trade relations and accordance with China-EU common interest. Peter Mandelson expressed their willing to make political endeavor to promote solution of China's market economic status, and strengthen exchange and cooperation.
Upon the problem of EU anti-dumping against China's shoes, Minister Bo Xilai said that EU side could solve it on the principle of free trade and avoid affecting economic and trade relations. The two sides discussed on motor vehicle, telecommunication and market access of service trade. When talking about WTO new round negotiation, the two sides believed that the new round negotiation was in the key period, as important and responsible WTO members, China and EU should join efforts to promote progress of WTO Hong Kong ministerial meeting.
Minister Bo Xilai and Benita Ferrero-Waldner met before the meeting and afterward, Minister Bo Xilai and Peter Mandelson presided over the press conference and watched China’s picture show in building of EU headquarters, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture of China, China's communities in EU and EU Committee. Minister Bo Xilai and Benita Ferrero-Waldner initialed China-EU bilateral agreement on EU enlarging compensation, in which interest loss of Chinese side would be solved properly after EU's enlargement.
The meeting drew highly attention of China and EU. The meeting was co-sponsored by EU Commissioner for External Relations, and EU trade Commissioner, and Chinese delegation was consisted of participants from the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Science and Technology, General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China, China Banking Regulatory Commission, chamber of commerce and local commercial department
China's ambassador in EU Guan Chengyuan and EU ambassador in China An Bo attended the meeting.
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