Brussels, 09/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - China and the EU have never had more need one of the other, said Li Jinjun, Vice-Minister of the Communist Party of China Central Committee International Department on Wednesday 9 November. “Profound changes are taking place on the international stage, EU-Chinese relations are developing, never have we two had more need of one another. Our relations are of global importance”, he said in a press conference on the second meeting of the EU-China High Level Political Parties and Groups Forum, taking place in Brussels from 7-9 November. “This meeting is a way of building confidence between the two sides. It's essential to meet the challenges facing us”, said MEP Véronique de Keyser (S&D, Belgium). “The dialogue has not resulted in concrete political conclusions but has brought better understanding”, added Markus Löning (ELDR, Germany).
Li said the meeting was taking place “at a key moment foe the development of partnership and strategic cooperation”. He expressed the wish that a forum take place at least once every year. “We hope it will become a platform for bringing us closer together and developing a common future”¸ he added, stressing that relations must be built “on the basis of equality” and “it is through tolerance and confidence that we will strengthen cooperation”.
The delegation of MEPs and the Chinese delegation, made up of several ministers, discussed China's twelfth five-year programme and the EU 2020 strategy. These discussions “kicked off our efforts to strengthen cooperation and promote specific ideas on how to create jobs”, Li said. The delegations discussed EU-Chinese relations, economic governance and the crisis, social development, legal systems and sustainable economy. “There were issues on which we did not agree but we can continue to learn each from the other and continue to engage in dialogue”, for example on human rights and democracy, Löning said. “We had a long discussion on democracy, where we had very little in common. We cannot expect rapid progress, but we must continue to talk”, he argued, noting, however, that on labour law and protection in the workplace the EU and China are quite close. (CG/transl.rt)