You are here: Home

China-Europe interparty talks conclude with consensus

By Chen Boyuan: 0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, May 19, 2016

Adjust font size:

Delegates of political parties from both China and Europe agreed that "green development" and China's "Belt and Road" initiative could be a common ground for cooperation in the future at the 5th China-Europe High-Level Political Parties Forum, which wrapped up in Beijing on May 18, 2016.

The 5th China-Europe High-Level Political Parties Forum concludes in Beijing on May 18, 2016. [Photo by Chen Boyuan / China.org.cn]

Delegates reached a consensus that Chinese-European relations should seek new development in a new era characterized by the transformation to a green economy amid new growth potentials brought about by the Belt and Road. They also agreed that close interparty ties are catalytic to amicable intergovernmental relations.

Chen Fengxiang, vice minister of the International Department of CPC International Committee (IDCPC), the organizer of the forum, noted that this year marks the beginning year of China's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020), meaning that China will seek new growth momentum, including on the international market, to achieve its objectives.

Chen said that the recovering European economy is gradually returning to a state of growth, and that means an opportunity for closer economic ties, which in turn will boost bilateral political relations.

Chen underscored the role played by interparty communications in deepening Chinese-European relations by saying that interparty ties are "an important precursor" to the Chinese-European partnership for peace, growth, reform and civilization.

"Interparty communications could increase mutual trust and decrease misunderstanding by helping to create a 'soft environment' for concrete, practical cooperation," he said.

Istvan Ujhelyi, vice chair of Hungarian Socialist Party and vice chair of the Committee on Transport and Tourism of the European Parliament, mentioned the fact that China-EU relations were celebrating a 40th anniversary last year showed that China is becoming more important to the European Union. Last year, Chinese investment in the EU hit a record high of 20 billion euros, and around 3 million jobs in the EU now depend on relations with China, Ujhelyi said.

"Europe doesn't consider China as a competitor but a strategic partner, so that Europe and China will have much to do on a bilateral level on the global stage," said Ujhelyi. He also said that the "Belt and Road" interconnectivity plan means more than just trading of products – it also means closer people-to-people ties.

Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation.

1 2 3 Next