European
European Commission President Barroso to begin Chinese visit Thursday
By Finfacts Team
Jul 13, 2005, 13:26

President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso

This is the first official visit of Mr. Barroso and the fourth visit to China by a President of the European Commission. President Barroso will meet Chinese President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Wen  to discuss ways to enhance the maturing partnership between the EU and China, and with the Chief Executives of Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions. He will also make three keynote speeches in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Setting out the objectives of his visit on the eve of his departure, European Commission President Barroso said: “The EU is deeply committed to developing its strategic partnership with China. The EU has just surpassed the US to become China’s largest trading partner. And China is our second largest.  Our challenge now is to understand China’s dramatic re-emergence, to learn to work better with this tremendous country and seize the opportunities provided by its unprecedented growth. It is in China’s and Europe’s interest to build a partnership strong enough to deal with the global challenges we face.  During my visit to China I want to explore how we can deepen our ties and move the relationship forwards - extending our partnership across the board to maximise its enormous potential. At the same time, China and Europe also stand to gain from upgrading our political relations in vital areas such as  human rights, non proliferation, anti-terrorism and migration.“

In Beijing, Barroso will have meetings with President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao. Leaders will discuss recent developments in the EU and China, ways to enhance EU-China political and commercial relations and will assess the overall international situation, global challenges and the multilateral agenda.

Barroso will discuss the preparation of the upcoming EU-China Summit, including moving towards a new EU-China framework agreement as well as agreements on civil aviation, readmission and visa facilitation. He will also underline the EU’s interest in further human rights progress in China. Discussions will furthermore include cross-strait relations, sectoral and trade issues. The Commission President will moreover deliver a speech entitled ‘EU-China: painting a brighter future together’ at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences 

In Shanghai, Mr Barroso will meet Mayor Han Zheng to discuss economic cooperation and Shanghai’s preparation for the World Expo of 2010. He will deliver a speech at the China-Europe International Business School on the theme of “The EU and China’s economic rise “.

In Macao, the Commission President will meet the Chief Executive of the Government of Macao, Mr. Edmund Ho.

In Hong Kong, a meeting with the new Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Government, Mr. Donald Tsang, will take place. Mr. Barroso will also deliver a speech ‘Hong Kong as a beacon for free trade’.

Background:

Established in 1975, EU-China relations have strengthened considerably in recent years, particularly since the adoption of a new Commission strategy document on China (A maturing partnership: common interests and challenges in EU-China relations) and China’s first ever policy paper on the EU in 2003. In 2004 both sides agreed to broaden the relationship into a strategic partnership. It was also agreed to progress toward negotiations on a new EU-China framework agreement to replace and update the 1985 Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement.