Brussels, 03/05/2012 (Agence Europe) - Although the visit to Brussels of Chinese President Wen Jiabao's likely successor, Li Keqiang, ended with the launch of new initiatives in favour of EU/China strategic partnership, it also gave rise to criticism in the international press, which was ignored by the Chinese leader.
Li Keqiang spoke of his “full confidence and support for the euro area's ability to cope with the sovereign debt crisis”, said European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, after a meeting with China's deputy prime minister in Brussels on Thursday 3 May. Van Rompuy and Li spoke of the EU/China strategic partnership. The Chinese leader gave a positive assessment of progress made, Van Rompuy added. The EU and China have implemented “concrete initiatives” since their last bilateral summit on 14 February this year (see EUROPE 10553), Van Rompuy said in his final remarks not co-signed by Li. Thus, a “new dialogue between the European and Chinese peoples” was launched last week and, on Thursday, two new EU/China cooperation chapters were opened, one on urbanisation, which covers urban planning, energy management, the development of green digital towns, mobility, the inclusion of migrants, water and waste management; and the other on energy.
At the political level, Van Rompuy pointed out to the future Chinese premier that the EU/China dialogue on human rights “remains key and an essential part of our relations”. In this respect, the president of the European Council hailed the decision to hold the next round of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue at the end of May. He expressed his “hope that it will provide the opportunity for substantial exchanges on these important issues”.
At international level, the two men held a “very stimulating exchange” on the state of the world economy and the common challenges ahead of the upcoming G20 in Mexico. Finally, Van Rompuy and Li spoke of the situation in Syria, North Korea and Iran.
International press indignant. Correspondents from the international press in Brussels were highly critical, on Thursday, of the European Commission for not having organised a press briefing after the visit of Li Keqiang, who also met President José Manuel Barroso and Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht before a meeting with Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger. Rebuked by the international media during their daily briefing, Barroso's services admitted that this had been at the request of the Chinese authorities, an attitude that was denounced by the president of the International Press Association, Ann Cahill, who condemned the lack of firmness on the part of the European institutions in defending freedom of the press. What is more, this incident falls on World Freedom of the Press Day. (EH/transl.jl)