Brussels, 27/04/2010 (Agence Europe) - The day after the EU-Japan Summit in Tokyo on 28 April, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso will begin the first visit of his second term of office to China. In Beijing on 29 April, he will lead a high level delegation comprising Commission Vice-president and High Representative Catherine Ashton, and Commissioners Neelie Kroes (Digital Strategy), Androulla Vassiliou (Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth), Karel De Gucht (Trade), Günther Oettinger (Energy) and Connie Hedegaard (Climate Action). The members of the European delegation will hold discussions with their Chinese counterparts at a meeting, chaired by Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, which will focus on EU-Chinese relations for the next five years and the major global challenges, such as the economic and financial crisis, climate change and international security.
In Beijing on 30 April, the European delegation will take part in the opening of the Europe-China Clean Energy Centre. Hedegaard will meet those charged with international negotiations on the Chinese side, in particular the Deputy Chairman of the National Development and Reform Committee, Xie Zhenhua. Barroso's visit will also include his attendance at the opening ceremony of the Shanghai 2010 International Exhibition and the opening of the EU pavilion on 1 May. On this occasion, he will meet Chinese President Hu Jintao.
“I am looking forward to the meeting between the European Commission and the Chinese leadership. This will be our third working meeting since 2008 which shows the closeness of our cooperation. We will seize this opportunity to generate positive momentum in our 35-years relationship and develop a far reaching agenda for the next 5 years,” said Barroso in a press release. EU-Chinese relations were established in 1975 and are governed by the EU-China Trade and Cooperation Agreement of 1985. To bring bilateral relations into line with the deepening and widening of their strategic partnership, in 2007 the EU and China launched negotiations on a partnership and cooperation agreement. The broadening and deepening of the dialogue with China on the major global challenges, China's transition to wards an open society based on the rule of law and respect for human rights are the EU's main strategic objectives with regard to China, the Commission says. (E.H./transl.rt)