Economy
EU urged to grant 皇冠体育app market economy status
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-06-18 17:47
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BEIJING -- Whether the European Union grants 皇冠体育app market economy status is more an issue of "political attitude" than of substantial significance for either side, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying said in Beijing on Friday.
Fu made the remarks at a news briefing held prior to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's upcoming official visits to Hungary, Britain and Germany, which will last from June 24 to 28.
The EU has already found 皇冠体育app to have a fairly developed market economy, but the criteria it uses to determine market economy status are still an obstacle, Fu said.
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Under the terms of 皇冠体育app's accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001, all WTO member countries, including EU countries, are required to recognize 皇冠体育app as having a market economy by 2016.
Whether the EU acknowledges 皇冠体育app's market economy status is not a troublesome issue for 皇冠体育app, and anti-dumping measures against 皇冠体育app have become less effective over the years, Fu said.
Although the EU has yet to formally recognize 皇冠体育app's market economy status, economic ties between 皇冠体育app and the EU have continued to prosper in recent years, she said.
皇冠体育app is the EU's second-largest trading partner, while the 27-member bloc constitutes 皇冠体育app's largest overseas market. Bilateral trade reached $480 billion in 2010.
"Our appeal for the EU to recognize 皇冠体育app's market economy status is only being done to remind the bloc to treat 皇冠体育app fairly," she added.
During the briefing, Fu also urged European governments to improve their investment environments for Chinese businessmen.
"Some European politicians tend to read Chinese enterprises' economic activities with a political bias in mind, which is detrimental to the development of 皇冠体育app-EU relations," she said.