Archive for ‘European Union (EU)’

« Older Entries  |  
31/05/2020

Spotlight: Washington faces blast at home, abroad for “terminating” ties with WHO

BEIJING, May 31 (Xinhua) — The U.S. government has been slammed at home and abroad after announcing on Friday “terminating” its relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO).

U.S. health experts and lawmakers have expressed concern over the decision announced by President Donald Trump amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

Patrice Harris, president of the American Medical Association, described Trump’s move as a “senseless” action with “significant, harmful repercussions.”

“COVID-19 affects us all and does not respect borders; defeating it requires the entire world working together,” Harris was quoted by CNN as saying, urging Trump to reverse the course.

Lawrence Gostin, a professor of global health law and director of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University, described the move as “foolish and arrogant” in his Twitter account.

“Trump’s action is an enormous disruption and distraction during an unprecedented health crisis,” said Gostin, also the director of the WHO collaborating center on national and global health law. “The President has made us less safe.”

Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia said that “the United States cannot eliminate this virus on its own and to withdraw from the World Health Organization — the world’s leading public health body — is nothing short of reckless,” according to a CNN report.

Even within the Republican party, some Republicans also expressed their disagreement. Senate Health Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander reportedly said he disagreed with Trump’s decision, because, without U.S. funding, clinical trials to develop a COVID-19 vaccine might be hampered.

In addition, the European Union (EU) has urged the United States to reconsider its termination of ties with the WHO, warning that Trump’s move would erode global efforts to curb the spread of the virus.

“The WHO needs to continue being able to lead the international response to pandemics, current and future. For this, the participation and support of all is required and very much needed. In the face of this global threat, now is the time for enhanced cooperation and common solutions. Actions that weaken international results must be avoided,” Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, and Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said in the statement on Saturday.

“In this context, we urge the U.S. to reconsider its announced decision,” the statement said.

German Health Minister Jens Spahn tweeted that Trump’s move was “a disappointing backlash for International Health.”

“The EU must take a leading role and engage more financially,” Spahn said, noting that this would be one of Germany’s priorities when it becomes the bloc’s rotating presidency on July 1.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesperson said earlier that Britain “has no plans to stop funding the WHO, which has an important role to play in leading the global health response.”

“Coronavirus is a global challenge and it is essential that countries work together to tackle this shared threat,” the spokesperson was quoted by The Guardian as saying.

Irish Minister for Health Simon Harris on Friday described Trump’s move as an “awful decision.”

“A global pandemic requires the world working together … We should unite in our fight against it (COVID-19) & not fight each other,” Harris tweeted.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told TASS news agency that Washington “dealt a blow” to the international framework for cooperation in healthcare at the moment when the world needed to join forces.

Source: Xinhua

Posted in "awful decision.", "dealt a blow", "eliminate", "foolish and arrogant", "senseless" action, "terminating", abroad, American Medical Association, announcing, at home, Beijing, blast, Boris Johnson's spokesperson, Britain, British Prime Minister, clinical trials, CNN, cooperation, COVID-19 outbreak, COVID-19 vaccine, Democratic Senator, disagreement, disappointing backlash, disruption, distraction, enormous, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, European Commission, European Union (EU), expressed, faces, Georgetown University, German Health Minister, Germany's, global health law, hampered, health crisis, healthcare, international framework, International Health, Irish Minister for Health, lawmakers, leading public health body, O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, on its own, President Donald Trump, priorities, reckless, reconsider, relationship, Republican Party, Republicans, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Senate Health Committee, significant, harmful repercussions, slammed, termination, The Guardian, ties, to join forces, to withdraw, tweeted, Twitter, U.S. funding, U.S. government, U.S. health experts, Uncategorized, United States, unprecedented, Washington, WHO, World, World Health Organization, World Health Organization (WHO) | Leave a Comment »

03/03/2020

Feature: China’s contribution to global IP governance “remarkable”

BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) — When talking about the development of intellectual property (IP) in China, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Director General Francis Gurry said “it’s a remarkable journey and a remarkable story.”

Born at the start of reform and opening-up, China’s IP cause has taken only decades to accomplish what the western IP system took hundreds of years to develop. While developing and improving its IP system, China has been active in international cooperation to boost global IP governance.

ACTIVE IN INT’L COOPERATION

Starting from zero at the beginning of its reform and opening-up, China has established a relatively complete IP legal system in line with prevailing international rules, joined almost all major related international treaties, and developed cooperative relations with over 80 countries and international or regional organizations in a relatively short period of time.

China has always been a follower, participant and upholder of the international rules of IP, Shen Changyu, commissioner of the National Intellectual Property Administration, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

China is an active participant in multilateral and bilateral affairs within the framework of WIPO to promote and improve global IP governance, Shen added.

In recent years, international cooperation with China on IP protection has has continuous innovative progress. IP cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative has in particular achieved practical results.

In 2019, China and the European Union (EU) completed an eight-year negotiation on an agreement to protect geographical indications (GI), which included 275 GI from each of the two sides in the appendix, such as EU’s Irish whiskey and traditional Chinese Shaoxing wine.

With the ratification of Indonesia on Jan. 28, the Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances will take effect for its 30 contracting parties on April 28.

The Beijing treaty, adopted by WIPO member states in 2012, fills a gap in the international treaty on the comprehensive protection of performers in audiovisual performance.

PROTECTION WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION

IP is not only an important strategic resource of a country, but also a booster of technological innovation and a bridge of trade globalization. China is a protector and creator of IP.

Statistics show that by the end of 2019, China had led the world in patent and trademark applications for several years running.

According to data from the WIPO for 2017 and 2018, China was the second largest applicant for international patent applications submitted through the Patent Cooperation Treaty, and the third largest for trademark registration under the Madrid System.

After about 40 years of development, China’s IP governance capability is in line with that of the international community and its IP protection has reached the international standard, which is fully recognized by the world, said Shan Xiaoguang, dean of Shanghai International College of IP at Tongji University.

In the process of advancing the development of its IP system, China has made great efforts to enhance protection and optimize policies, insisting on providing effective protection without discrimination for both domestic and foreign enterprises.

Foreign plaintiffs are able to win and receive injunctions in patent infringement cases brought in China according to the law, Patently-O, a U.S. leading patent law blog, wrote, adding that China’s IP protection practice is fair and just.

China’s effective protection brings huge benefits to foreign IP holders every year. Statistics show that the country paid 34 billion U.S. dollars for IP royalties in 2019.

China has strengthened IP protection with an open attitude, making it a magnet for global trade and innovative activities.

Global innovative activities occur mostly in metropolitan hotspots in China, Germany, Japan, South Korea and the United States, according to the 2019 edition of WIPO’s “World Intellectual Property Report.”

According to Doing Business 2020, an annual report published by the World Bank, China jumped to 31st in its ranking for ease of doing business and is among the top 10 improvers for a second consecutive year.

CHINESE WISDOM

Advanced experience accumulated during the rapid growth of the IP cause in China over the past decades has attracted worldwide attention.

China places IP at a strategic high level, pays attention to IP protection in all economic fields, and has shown its determination of long-term policy for decades, which set up examples for other countries, said Gurry.

Renata Righetti Pelosi, president of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property, pointed out two reasons for the rapid development of the IP cause in China.

On the one hand, the needs of economic operators in China have increasingly overlapped with those in the world, and the two sides have reached more consensuses on IP protection, Pelosi said.

On the other, China has many IP talents with a global vision, who are leading the rapid growth of this sector, she added.

Through academic exchanges and personnel training, China is also actively contributing its wisdom to global IP governance and is more confident about joining global IP cooperation.

The first batch of students from countries that joined the Belt and Road construction successfully graduated from China with master’s degrees in IP in 2018, bringing the knowledge and experience of IP protection they learned from China to the world.

As global IP governance is facing new challenges posed by a new phase of development and a new round of scientific and technological revolution has brought great changes to the industry, many industries spawned by new technologies have gone beyond the scope of protection of the original IP system.

In the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, countries should learn from each other with a more open and inclusive attitude, said Shan, adding that China has led the world in such technological fields as artificial intelligence, big data and life science, and accumulated valuable experience on IP protection in related industries, which is conducive to solving global challenges.

Source: Xinhua

Posted in "it's a remarkable journey and a remarkable story.", "remarkable", "World Intellectual Property Report.", Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances, China, China's, contribution, Doing Business 2020, European Union (EU), Germany, global IP, governance, Indonesia, intellectual property (IP), International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property, Irish whiskey, Japan, Madrid System, National Intellectual Property Administration, patent and trademark applications, Patent Cooperation Treaty, Shanghai International College of IP, South Korea, traditional Chinese Shaoxing wine, Uncategorized, United States, WIPO member states, World Bank, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) | Leave a Comment »

19/02/2020

Xi extends congratulations to new Croatian President Zoran Milanovic

BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday sent a congratulatory message to Zoran Milanovic on his assumption as Croatia’s new president.

In his message, Xi said that Croatia and China enjoy strong political mutual trust, fruitful results in joint Belt and Road construction and positive cooperations within the framework of cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs).

Noting that Croatia, the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU), is China’s good friend in the bloc, Xi said that he attaches great importance to the development of China-Croatia relations.

Xi said that he would like to work with Milanovic to deepen the bilateral friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation and make new contributions to China-CEECs cooperation and the development of China-EU relations.

Source: Xinhua

Posted in China and Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs), China-EU relations, Chinese President Xi Jinping, congratulatory message, Croatia, European Union (EU), President, Uncategorized, Zoran Milanovic | Leave a Comment »

11/11/2019

China’s Jingye Group agrees outline deal to rescue British Steel

BEIJING/LONDON (Reuters) – China’s Jingye Group said on Monday it has reached a provisional deal to buy British Steel and promised to invest 1.2 billion pounds ($1.5 billion) over the next decade and save thousands of jobs.

An agreement is of major political significance as Britain prepares to elect a new government on Dec. 12. The lack of opportunities in northern England, where British Steel is based, is an election issue, as the social gap between north and south widens.

The deal has yet to be finalised, but Business Minister Andrea Leadsom said in a video clip she was optimistic it would be.

Jingye Group Chairman Li Ganpo said the ambition was to create a world-class group.

“We believe that this combination will create a powerful, profitable and sustainable business that will ensure the long-term future of thousands of jobs while producing the innovative high-quality steel products that the world needs,” he said in a statement.

The value of the deal was not disclosed. Earlier a BBC report saying a deal was imminent gave a figure of 70 million pounds ($90 million), while sources close to the talks said the price was likely closer to 50 million pounds.

Uncertainty over the future of British Steel has hung over its workforce for much of the year. It was put into compulsory liquidation in May after Greybull Capital, which bought it for one pound from Tata Steel (TISC.NS) in 2016, failed to secure funding to continue its operations.

Its closure would impact 5,000 jobs in Scunthorpe and a further 20,000 jobs in the supply chain.

British Steel, which makes high-margin, long steel products used in construction and rail, would give Jingye access to Europe’s large infrastructure market.

But it could face challenges as the European steel industry grapples with weak demand, high costs for energy and labor and exacting environmental standards.

British Steel did not respond to requests for comment.

A previous deal, announced in August, with Turkey’s military pension fund OYAK fell apart and on Monday the fund said the purchase was not commercially viable.

British commodities tycoon Sanjeev Gupta’s Liberty Steel Group has also expressed interest in buying British Steel.

EMBRACE CHINA

Henri Murison, director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, set up to boost the economy in the north of England, said a rescue, if finalised, would be “very welcome news”.

He said it was time to embrace cooperation with China, which is extending its international reach through its Belt and Road global development strategy. Chinese companies also own a steel plant in Serbia and its sole copper mine.

Leading trade union Unite welcomed the prospect of Chinese ownership, but cautioned there had been “a series of false dawns” for the company.

Jingye, which also operates hotels and real estate, employs 23,500 and has registered capital of 39 billion yuan ($5.58 billion), giving it the financial clout to invest.

Under the terms of the agreement, Jingye would acquire certain assets of British Steel from the Official Receiver, subject to regulatory approvals.

The assets include the steelworks at Scunthorpe and Teesside in northern England, as well as its European units FN Steel in the Netherlands and British Steel France.

Chinese ownership may be contentious, especially in the steel industry. The European Union (EU), which does not include Serbia, has agreed safeguards to protect its own steel industry from competition from cheap imports from China and elsewhere.

Britain has said it will leave the EU but has yet to agree a deal on its departure from the political and economic bloc.

John Cullen,  business recovery partner  at accountancy firm Menzies LLP, said selling the whole British Steel business “in the current trading climate would be no mean feat”.

Source: Reuters

Posted in agrees, Belt and Road global development strategy, British Steel, China's, deal, environmental standards, European steel industry, European Union (EU), Jingye Group, Liberty Steel Group, Northern Powerhouse Partnership, Official Receiver, outline, rescue, Serbia, Tata Steel (TISC.NS), Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

08/11/2019

Xi Focus: Xi’s trip to Greece, Brazil to advance bilateral ties, BRICS cooperation

BEIJING, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping’s upcoming visit to Greece and Brazil is expected to intensify China’s relations with the two countries and enhance BRICS cooperation, officials said here Thursday.

At the invitation of Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos, Xi will pay a state visit to Greece from Nov. 10 to 12, said Vice Foreign Minister Qin Gang.

This will be the first visit to the European country by a Chinese president after an interval of 11 years, which will exert a historic influence of China-Greece ties and push forward China-Europe relations and Belt and Road cooperation, Qin said.

He noted that China and Greece, both with old civilizations, are trustworthy and helpful friends respecting and supporting each other on core interests and major concerns.

Greece is among the first European Union (EU) countries to sign an intergovernmental cooperation document with China to jointly construct the Belt and Road, Qin said, adding that Greek prime ministers attended the first and second Belt and Road Forum on International Cooperation in Beijing.

The two sides have conducted fruitful cooperation on the principle of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation and witnessed increased bilateral trade and investment, Qin said.

“The Piraeus Port project, a flagship project for the Belt and Road cooperation, has made important contributions to the local economic and social development of Greece and played an important role in advancing connectivity in various regions around the globe,” said the vice foreign minister.

Speaking of people-to-people and cultural exchanges, Qin said peoples of the two countries respect each other and advocate openness and inclusiveness in their close interactions.

“Both China and Greece hold that different civilizations should respect each other and facilitate experience sharing, mutual learning and conversation among civilizations,” he said.

China and Greece are new friends of the “17 +1” cooperation. In April this year, Greece became a full member of the China-Central and Eastern European Countries Cooperation Mechanism, adding new opportunities to the development of this mechanism, which is also conducive to developing China-EU relations and China-EU connectivity, Qin said.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis led a delegation to the ongoing second China International Import Expo (CIIE). Xi met with him, and the two leaders visited the Greek pavilion, Qin said.

According to Qin, in Greece, Xi is scheduled to hold talks respectively with Pavlopoulos and Mitsotakis, in a bid to consolidate political mutual trust and traditional friendship between the two countries, intensify pragmatic cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure and other fields, uphold multilateralism and free trade and build an open world economy.

Besides, Qin noted that the Chinese and Greek leaders will conduct cultural exchanges and advocate dialogues among civilizations.

The two sides will issue a joint statement on strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership, draw up a blueprint for the development of bilateral ties, sign intergovernmental cooperation documents on investment and education, and ink commercial agreements in such fields as ports, finance, and energy.

Greece, in the West, and China, in the East, are heirs of ancient civilizations. Noting that both China and Greece are faced with the mission of rejuvenation and prosperity, Qin said the two countries can enlighten the world to deal with various problems and challenges.

Xi’s upcoming visit to Greece shows respect and appreciation of the ancient Chinese civilization to the ancient Greek civilization, as well as the expectation of jointly building a community with a shared future for humanity, Qin said.

It is believed the visit will elevate the level of bilateral cooperation in an all-round way and inject new impetus to the development of China-EU relations with fruitful results, Qin stressed.

According to Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, at the invitation of Brazilian President Jair Messias Bolsonaro, Xi will attend the 11th BRICS summit in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, from Nov. 13 to 14.

BRICS is the acronym for an emerging-market bloc that groups Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Xi is scheduled to attend the closing ceremony of the BRICS business forum, closed and public meetings of the BRICS leaders’ meeting and the BRICS leaders’ dialogue with the BRICS Business Council and the New Development Bank. The leaders’ declaration is expected to be released, Ma said.

Xi will hold talks with Bolsonaro, sign cooperation documents in various fields, and hold bilateral meetings with leaders of other participating countries to exchange views on ties and BRICS cooperation, Ma said.

As the world is undergoing changes rarely seen in a century and confronted with unprecedented opportunities and challenges, BRICS countries have drawn ever-growing attention worldwide, Ma said, stressing that China appreciates the efforts made by Brazil in its preparation and stands ready to jointly prompt the meeting to achieve fruitful results.

He voiced expectations of the Chinese side.

“The Chinese side hopes that BRICS countries will further enhance political mutual trust, boost mutually beneficial cooperation and forge a more comprehensive, closer and broader partnership,” Ma said.

As for safeguarding multilateralism and strengthening global governance, Ma voiced China’s determination to make joint efforts with other BRICS countries to safeguard the rules-based multilateral trade system, the international order based on international law, and the international system with the UN at the core.

This aims to promote a more equitable, open, transparent and inclusive global governance system and safeguard common interests and development space of emerging markets and developing countries, Ma said.

“China believes the five BRICS countries should follow the trend of the new industrial revolution and facilitate economic transformation and upgrading,” Ma noted.

As an important outcome of last year’s Johannesburg meeting, the BRICS partnership for a new industrial revolution has progressed well in the past year, he said, adding that China is willing to work with concerned parties to accelerate the development of the partnership and tap more potential for cooperation projects, so as to propel high-quality development of the five countries.

“China looks forward to more cooperation on economy, trade, finance, political security and people-to-people exchanges, with projects meeting the development needs of the five countries and serving the interests of their peoples,” he said.

The Chinese side believes that with concerted efforts of all parties and under the political guidance of the five countries’ leaders, the 11th BRICS Summit will be a full success, Ma said, stressing that the BRICS countries will continue to contribute to world peace and development and the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

Source: Xinhua

Posted in 11th BRICS summit, ancient civilizations, Belt and Road Cooperation, belt and road forum, Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF), Belt and Road Forum of International Cooperation, bilateral ties, blueprint, Brasilia, Brazil, Brazilian President, BRICS Business Council, BRICS cooperation, China alert, China International Import Expo (CIIE), China-Central and Eastern European Countries Cooperation Mechanism, China-Europe relations, China-Greece ties, Chinese President Xi Jinping, comprehensive strategic partnership, education, energy, European Union (EU), Finance, free trade, Greece, Greek pavilion, Greek President, Greek Prime Minister, heirs, India alert, Infrastructure, intergovernmental cooperation documents, Investment, Jair Messias Bolsonaro, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, multilateralism, new development bank, open world economy, Piraeus Port project, ports, Prokopis Pavlopoulos, prosperity, rejuvenation, Russia, second China International Import Expo (CIIE), South Africa, Trade, Uncategorized, visit | Leave a Comment »

13/07/2019

Chinese, Hungarian FMs eye closer exchanges, more cooperation

HUNGARY-BUDAPEST-CHINA-WANG YI-VISIT

Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) shakes hands with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto prior to their talks in Budapest, Hungary, July 12, 2019. (Xinhua/Attila Volgyi)

BUDAPEST, July 12 (Xinhua) — Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto held talks on Friday, pledging closer exchanges and more cooperation.

Noting this year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of China-Hungary diplomatic relations, Wang said the two countries have always respected and supported each other, showing mutual trust over the past seven decades. And in 2017, bilateral relations entered a new historical stage when a comprehensive strategic partnership was established by the leaders of two nations.

In face of increasingly unstable and uncertain international situation, Hungary, Wang said, has taken a clear-cut stance to develop friendly relations with China, firmly support the building of the Belt and Road and participate in the China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) cooperation.

Calling Hungary a reliable and trustworthy partner, the Chinese top diplomat said China will continue to back Hungary’s development path in line with its own national conditions, and support it to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests and to play a more important role in the European Union (EU) and the world.

The two sides should seize the opportunity of the 70th anniversary of establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations, maintaining, consolidating and developing the China-Hungary comprehensive strategic partnership, as well as deepening exchanges at all levels, said Wang.

The two sides should enhance all-around cooperation based on the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, he said, while also calling on the two sides to strengthen strategic coordination to safeguard their common rights and interests as well as international fairness and justice.

On his part, Szijjarto said Hungary-China bilateral relations are at their best in history.

Hungary is the first European country to sign the Belt and Road cooperation agreement with China, which aligns well with Hungary’s “Opening to the East” policy, corresponds to the China-EU cooperation, and is conducive to promote the Eurasian interconnection, he said.

Hungary is willing to work with China to maintain closer high-level exchanges, expand cooperation in areas like trade, investment, finance, and education, and closely coordinate and cooperate in multilateral affairs, so as to promote bilateral relations to make new progress, said Szijjarto.

On Thursday, the Chinese top diplomat also attended the opening ceremony of a photo exhibition marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of China-Hungary diplomatic relations here in the Hungarian capital.

Source: Xinhua

Posted in Belt and Road (B&R), Budapest, Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC), China-Hungary diplomatic relations, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, closer exchanges, European Union (EU), Hungarian capital, Hungarian FM, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Hungary, more cooperation, Opening to the East, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

09/07/2019

Chinese FM calls for deepening comprehensive strategic partnership with Poland

POLAND-WARSAW-CHINA-WANG YI-VISIT

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) and Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz attend a press conference after holding talks and attending the opening ceremony of the second plenary session of China-Poland Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee in Warsaw, Poland, on July 8, 2019. (Xinhua/Chen Xu)

WARSAW, July 8 (Xinhua) — Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz here on Monday, calling for deepening comprehensive strategic partnership with Poland.

Noting this year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Poland, Wang said bilateral relations have withstood the tests of changing international situations and maintained good momentum. During Chinese leader’s visit to Poland in 2016, the leaders of the two countries agreed to elevate the bilateral ties to comprehensive strategic partnership, indicating the direction for future development of the bilateral ties.

China attaches great importance to the key role Poland plays as a major country among Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) as well as in the European Union (EU), Wang said, adding China stands ready to work with the Polish side to extend traditional friendship, build cooperation consensus, inject new impetus into bilateral relations, and push for the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations to run at the forefront of China-CEEC ties.

The Chinese foreign minister called on the two countries to strengthen strategic communication, maintain high-level exchanges in various fields, cement political mutual trust, and respect and give consideration to each other’s core interests and major concerns.

The two sides should seize the cooperation opportunities of jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to boost infrastructural construction, production capacity, and Eurasian transport corridor so as to contribute to the global interconnectivity partnership, Wang said.

The two sides should also cultivate new growth points in areas like nuclear power, environmental protection and technological innovation, he added.

The Chinese market is open to Poland, and China is willing to import more Polish products to mitigate trade imbalance, Wang said, noting that China encourages its enterprises to invest and operate in Poland and hopes the Polish side will offer them fair, open and non-discriminatory business environment.

The Chinese foreign minister also called on the two sides to uphold multilateralism, safeguard the rules-based multilateral trading system, and join hand in hand to tackle global challenges like climate change.

The two sides should also strengthen communication and coordination on international and regional affairs so as to boost stability and prosperity in Eurasia, he said. The Chinese official also hopes Poland can serve as a bridge linking China and Western countries as well as Asia and Europe.

On his part, Czaputowicz said Poland, located in the heartland of the Europe, is willing to actively take part in the joint construction of the BRI, strengthen bilateral exchanges, and play an active role in promoting China-CEEC cooperation and EU-China ties.

Poland welcomes Chinese investments, and will treat foreign enterprises according to international laws and business principles. Poland will not exclude Chinese enterprises or adopt any discriminatory measures against them, said Czaputowicz.

The two officials also on Monday attended the opening ceremony of the second plenary session of China-Poland Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee.

Source: Xinhua

Posted in Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC), China-Poland Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister, comprehensive strategic partnership, European Union (EU), Jacek Czaputowicz, Poland, Polish Foreign Minister, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

21/05/2019

China, EU sign milestone agreements on civil aviation cooperation

BELGIUM-BRUSSELS-CHINA-EU-CIVIL AVIATION-COOPERATION

Representatives from China and the European Union shake hands after signing agreements on civil aviation cooperation in Brussels, Belgium, on May 20, 2019. China and the European Commission on Monday signed two milestone agreements on civil aviation, marking an important step to implement the consensuses reached by leaders from both sides during the China-EU Summit held last month. (Xinhua/European Union)

BRUSSELS, May 20 (Xinhua) — China and the European Commission on Monday signed two milestone agreements on civil aviation, marking an important step to implement the consensuses reached by leaders from both sides during the China-EU Summit held last month.

The two agreements are Agreement on Civil Aviation Safety between China and the European Union (EU) and Agreement between China and the EU on Certain Aspects of Air Services.

Hailing the two aviation agreements as “a first big step”, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said: “In an increasingly unsettled world, Europe’s partnership with China is more important than ever before.”

“The EU firmly believes that nations working together makes the world a stronger, safer and more prosperous place for all,” Juncker said in a statement.

The two agreements “will create jobs, boost growth and bring our continents and peoples closer together. Today’s agreements show the potential of our partnership (with China) and we should continue on this path of cooperation,” he said.

Feng Zhenglin, head of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), said the two agreements will further promote cooperation between China and Europe in civil aviation fields while enriching the content of China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership.

“Signing of the first agreement and its airworthiness certification annex is a response to the call for aviation industry development in both China and Europe, and is conducive to the two-way exchanges of civil aviation products developed and manufactured by both sides,” Feng said ahead of the signing ceremony.

“The signing of the second one will remove the contradiction between the bilateral air services agreements signed by China and EU member states and EU law, and will provide legal certainty for the operation of air carriers from both sides,” said Feng.

“The two agreements will for sure bring China-EU civil aviation cooperation to a new stage and a new high,” he added.

“The two agreements … are highly professional and reflect the broadness and depth of the two sides’ cooperation. Both China and the EU stand for multilateralism and want to build an open world. Strengthening cooperation in the field of civil aviation is a strong example of walking the talk,” Ambassador Zhang Ming, head of the Chinese Mission to the EU who also attended the ceremony, said in a statement.

The main objective of the first agreement is to support worldwide trade in aircraft and related products, the EU said in the statement.

“This agreement will remove the unnecessary duplication of evaluation and certification activities for aeronautical products by the civil aviation authorities, and therefore reduce costs for the aviation sector. The agreement will also promote cooperation between the EU and China towards a high level of civil aviation safety and environmental compatibility,” it said.

The second agreement marks China’s recognition of the principle of EU designation, whereby all EU airlines will be able to fly to China from any EU member state with a bilateral air services agreement with China under which unused traffic rights are available, read the statement.

Up until now, only airlines owned and controlled by a given member state or its nationals could fly between that member state and China. The conclusion of a horizontal agreement will thereby bring bilateral air services agreements between China and EU member states into conformity with EU law — a renewed legal certainty which will be beneficial to airlines on both sides, it said.

Source: Xinhua

Posted in Agreement between China and the EU on Certain Aspects of Air Services, Agreement on Civil Aviation Safety, China alert, China-EU Summit, Civil aviation, cooperation, European Commission, European Commission President, European Union (EU), Feng Zhenglin, head of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), Jean-Claude Juncker, milestone agreements, sign, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

29/04/2019

Cambodian PM says China ready to help if EU imposes sanctions

PHNOM PENH (Reuters) – China will help Cambodia if the European Union (EU) withdraws special market access over its rights record, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Monday as he announced a 600 million yuan ($89 million) Chinese aid package for his military.

Hun Sen, who is on a five-day trip to China to attend a Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) forum in Beijing, held bilateral talks with President Xi Jinping and signed several agreements with Cambodia’s most important ally.

Cambodia benefits from the EU’s “Everything But Arms” trade scheme which allows the world’s least developed countries to export most goods to the EU free of duties.

But Cambodia risks losing the special access to the world’s largest trading bloc over its human rights records.

During a meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang, Li pledged to help Cambodia if the EU withdraws the market access, according to a post on Hun Sen’s official Facebook page.

“In this regard … Prime Minister Li Keqiang also confirmed his efforts to help Cambodia,” the post said.
China is Cambodia’s biggest aid donor and investor, pouring in billions of dollars in development aid and loans through the Belt and Road initiative, which aims to bolster land and sea links with Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa.
Unlike Western countries, China does not question Cambodia’s record on rights.
The EU, which accounts for more than one-third of Cambodia’s exports, including garments, footwear and bicycles, in February began an 18-month process that could lead to the suspension of the special market access.
Among the agreements Hun Sen struck in China was one for Huawei Technologies to help Cambodia develop a system for 5G technology. The Chinese tech giant has ambitions to build the next generation of data networks across the world and boasts 40 commercial 5G contracts worldwide.
China also agreed to import 400,000 tonnes of Cambodian rice, according to Hun Sen’s Facebook page.
“China will continue to support the national defence sector in Cambodia, and in this regard, the Chinese president announced that China will provide 600 million yuan to Cambodia’s defence sector,” the post said.
Source: Reuters

Posted in 5G technology, africa, Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) forum, bicycles, Cambodia, Cambodian Prime Minister, Cambodian rice, Central Asia, China alert, Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang, EU, Europe, European Union (EU), Everything But Arms, footwear, garments, huawei technologies, Hun Sen, middle-east, national defence sector, President Xi Jinping, Southeast Asian, special market access, Uncategorized, Western countries | Leave a Comment »

13/04/2019

Premier Li proposes multiple measures for future China-CEEC cooperation

CROATIA-DUBROVNIK-LI KEQIANG-CHINA-CEEC-MEETING

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (front) attends the eighth leaders’ meeting of China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) in Dubrovnik, Croatia, April 12, 2019. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

DUBROVNIK, Croatia, April 12 (Xinhua) — Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday proposed a series of measures to promote cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs).

Li made the proposal when addressing the eighth China-CEEC leaders’ meeting in the Croatian city of Dubrovnik.

Li noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping recently made successful visits to three European countries, injecting new impetus into deepening development of the China-European Union (EU) comprehensive strategic partnership.

As part of the China-EU relations, the China-CEEC cooperation mechanism has been conducive to promoting European integration process and advancing the China-EU ties, the premier said.

Members of the mechanism stick to the principles of mutual respect and equal treatment, uphold the spirit of openness and inclusiveness, follow international rules and EU laws and regulations, and respect the responsibilities and obligations that EU members among the 16 CEECs need to fulfill, Li said.

The cooperation mechanism attaches equal importance to trade and investment, and combines economic cooperation with people-to-people exchanges, having not only promoted common development but also facilitated Europe’s balanced development, said Li.

The mechanism has become a major pillar for China-EU comprehensive cooperation, he added.

Noting that the leaders’ meeting takes “Building new bridges through openness, innovation and partnership” as its theme, Li called for making the bridge of openness broader, the bridge of innovation clearer, and the bridge of partnership more solid.

On future development of the China-CEEC cooperation, Li called for jointly defending multilateral trade system, upholding such basic principle as openness, transparency, inclusiveness and non-discrimination, and sticking to the direction of trade liberalization.

On expanding trade volume, Li said China is willing to import more high-quality agricultural products from the CEECs and make it easier for such products to be exported to China.

Calling for joint efforts to build the Belt and Road, the premier said China is willing to enhance the alignment between its development strategies and those of the CEECs, stick to the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and better draw on complementary advantages, so as to achieve win-win results and common prosperity.

Urging greater efforts to boost innovation cooperation, Li said China is willing to work with the 16 countries to conduct joint research, expand scientific and technological exchanges, and cultivate growth points through innovation cooperation.

The premier also stressed the importance of jointly safeguarding a fair, just and non-discriminatory market environment.

Li also called for continued efforts to promote cooperation in the fields of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and industrial park building, adding that China and the CEECs have held cross-border matching events of SMEs, and launched a website for the SMEs coordination mechanism.

Calling for stepped-up efforts to conduct people-to-people exchanges, Li said China and the CEECs should take the Year of Education and Youth Exchange as an opportunity to enhance exchanges and cooperation among universities and colleges and promote mutual understanding and friendship between young people.

Announcing that China will host the ninth China-CEEC leaders’ meeting in 2020, Li said he expects CEEC leaders to attend the meeting and jointly sketch out a new blueprint for the China-CEEC cooperation.

On their part, CEEC leaders said, after the launch of the cooperation mechanism, the CEECs and China have seen their pragmatic cooperation bearing remarkable fruits, political mutual trust continuously strengthened, trade and investment rapidly growing, and cooperation in fields including education, tourism and culture continuously deepened.

The cooperation mechanism has continuously shown new vigor and vitality and become an important cross-region cooperation platform featuring openness, inclusiveness, mutual benefits and win-win results, they said.

The mechanism has not only boosted economic growth of each country and enhanced the wellbeing of their people, but also effectively promoted the overall EU-China relations, they said.

All sides are ready to take this meeting as an opportunity to fully support the implementation of CEEC-China cooperation projects, further promote connectivity and infrastructure building, actively participate in the joint building of the Belt and Road, continuously expand trade volume, jointly safeguard multilateralism and free trade, increase personnel exchanges, and expand exchanges and cooperation at local levels and in fields including tourism, health, sports, and think tanks, the CEEC leaders said.

After the meeting, China and the CEECs jointly published The Dubrovnik Guidelines for Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries, and the leaders witnessed the signing of more than 10 cooperation agreements.

Greece was accepted as a full member of the China-CEEC cooperation mechanism, according to a decision made by the meeting.

Later on Friday, Li and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic met the press after the leaders’ meeting.

Both leaders spoke highly of the new progress made in the China-CEEC cooperation and called the meeting efficient, pragmatic, fruitful and successful.

Speaking to reporters, Li said, faced with the current complicated international situations, all sides should work to safeguard multilateralism and free trade.

As a cross-regional cooperation platform, the China-CEEC cooperation mechanism now serves as an important part of and a beneficial supplement to the China-EU cooperation, Li said.

Source: Xinhua

Posted in Andrej Plenkovic, belt and road plan, Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs), China alert, China-CEEC cooperation, Chinese premier Li Keqiang, Croatian city, Croatian Prime Minister, Dubrovnik, European Union (EU), Premier Li, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

« Older Entries  |  
CCChang

Law of Unintended Consequences

continuously updated blog about China & India

ChiaHou's Book Reviews

continuously updated blog about China & India

What's wrong with the world; and its economy

continuously updated blog about China & India