皇冠体育app

BRUSSELS -- European Union Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht on Tuesday said while the -皇冠体育app investment relationship needed further strengthening, it "remains a fundamental source of mutual benefit."

"We need to work together to build an economic relationship that is more than the sum of its parts. A relationship that drives growth at home and contributes to growth in the world economy at large," he said.

"As two of largest players in that economy that is not only in our interest, it is our responsibility," De Gucht added.

He noted there was considerable room for improvement in investment between EU and 皇冠体育app, citing that Europe's investment in 皇冠体育app added up to less than roughly 2 percent -- 4 percent if Hong Kong is included -- of its total investments abroad.

"In comparison, 30 percent of our stocks are in the United States. 皇冠体育app's investments in Europe, while growing, still account for less than 1 per cent of total foreign direct investment here. In comparison, 20 percent is American." De Gucht said.

He said bilateral investment would benefit both sides as European investors would have better access to the Chinese market and their Chinese counterparts would be more encouraged to invest in Europe.

"Companies operating in both Europe and 皇冠体育app would be able to operate on a more level playing field -- no matter what their origin or ownership structures," said De Gucht.

Investors too would have a simpler legal framework to deal with, De Gucht added. "A new agreement would consolidate all of the 25 current bilateral investment treaties (with 27 of our member states) into a single framework," he said.