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News Releases
No. 93/06
October 24, 2006
EUROPEAN UNION SETS OUT NEW CHINA STRATEGY
The European Commission agreed today on an ambitious new agenda for
EU-China
relations for the coming years. The new strategy responds to China’s
re-emergence as a global economic and political power.
 “Getting the partnership between Europe and China right is a key challenge for
this Commission and the EU," said EU Commissioner for
External Relations,
Benita
Ferrero-Waldner. "Our new China initiative represents an ambitious agenda. To
tackle the key challenges facing Europe today – like climate change, economic
growth, migration, and international security – we need to leverage the
potential of a dynamic relationship with China. Our joint goal should be to join
efforts and offer joint solutions to today’s global problems. Today’s
Communication offers an important backdrop to negotiations for a new
EU-China
Framework Agreement, which I will launch in China early in the New Year.”
The EU’s fundamental approach to China remains one of engagement and
partnership. A closer strategic partnership means mutual responsibilities
increase. Today’s initiative sets out a comprehensive approach, identifying as
priorities support for China’s transition towards a more open and pluralistic
society, sustainable development, including cooperation with China on energy
issues, climate change and international development; trade and economic
relations; strengthening bilateral cooperation, including on science and
technology, and migration; and the promotion of international security, both in
East Asia and beyond and more broadly on non-proliferation issues. It is
accompanied by a trade policy paper setting out the challenges of our trade and
investment relations in more detail.
EU
Commissioner for Trade,
Peter Mandelson, said: “China is not a globalization
scare story, it is a globalization success story. China means cheaper goods in
European shops, cheaper inputs for business, more competitive European
companies, growing markets for Europe’s exporters and lower interest rates. For
China, access to Europe’s market has helped lift 180 million people out of
poverty since 1990. Europe has an economic interest in an economically strong
China. Both sides benefit from openness. But China's growing trade muscle means
growing expectations. China must fulfill its WTO obligations and commit to
trading fairly. Europe must accept fierce competition. China must ensure it is
fair competition.”
Partners in a changing relationship
The EU and China account for a quarter of the world’s population. China is the
world’s 4th economic power, the 3rd biggest
exporter and has increasing
international political weight. As it grows it is entering a new and challenging
period of its economic and social reform process. Europe has a major political
and economic stake in supporting China’s full and successful transition into a
prosperous, stable and open country, embracing the rule of law and free market
principles.
Strategic partners since 2003, the EU and China have a growing interest in
working together on today’s key geo-political challenges, promoting sustainable
development, peace and prosperity to the benefit of both sides.
The EU-China Summit in Helsinki on September 9 agreed to launch negotiations on
a comprehensive new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement which would encompass
the full scope of EU-China relationship, including enhanced cooperation in
political matters. This will be the key mechanism to take this partnership
forward and today’s Communication will provide impetus for that process.
Preparations are already underway and Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner will formally
launch the negotiations during a future visit to China.
Partnership and economic competition go hand in hand
Accompanying today’s Communication is a separate policy paper that sets out a
wide-ranging new strategy for building the European Union’s trade and investment
relationship with China. The strategy review, which is part of the wider
Global
Europe trade policy framework launched in October 2006, reflects the dramatic
changes in EU-China trade and the importance of managing China’s massive new
weight in the global trading system. The review argues that both China and
Europe have benefited from China’s economic rise, despite the competitive
pressure it has exerted in the global economy. It argues that China’s growing
trade muscle brings with it new responsibilities to fulfill its WTO obligations,
open it markets and trade fairly. The review sets out a range of strategies for
improving the conditions on which EU companies trade in China: including better
market access, tougher action on intellectual property theft and providing new
resources for business on the ground in China.
Today the Commission is also adopting a separate Communication on its relations
with the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions.
For further information, please visit:
http://www.eurunion.org/newsweb/HotTopics/Asia.htm#China .
Further Contact Information
Press and Public Diplomacy
Delegation of the European Commission
2300 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
http://www.eurunion.org/PressRoom
Tel: 202-862-9552
Fax: 202-429-1766
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