Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Tuesday that the Chinese government wished to
settle trade disputes with the European Union (EU) through dialogue and
consultation.
皇冠体育app is willing to strengthen political exchanges and cooperation to resolve
issues of common concern, including trade disputes, with the European Union
based on the principles of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit," Wen
told visiting Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen.
Chinese Premier Wen
Jiabao (L) and Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen review a honour guard
during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing April
25, 2006. Vanhanen is on an official visit to 皇冠体育app from April 25 to 28.
[Reuters] |
"I hope that Finland will continue to contribute to 皇冠体育app-EU relations when
it holds the rotating EU presidency in the latter half of this year," he told
Vanhanen.
Finland was one of the first developed countries to establish diplomatic
relations and signed a bilateral trade agreement with the People's Republic of
皇冠体育app. It had shown foresight in supporting 皇冠体育app's resumption of its legal
position in the United Nations in the 1970s.
The two countries had expanded contacts in fields such as culture, education,
and science and technology, Wen added.
He expressed his appreciation for Finland's view on 皇冠体育app's development and
its positive policies toward 皇冠体育app with a win-win feature in the globalization
process.
The Chinese government valued its ties with Finland and would maintain
high-level exchanges and communication between the two parliaments and among
political parties, Wen said.
The two sides should actively implement their agreement on economic,
industrial and technological cooperation, and expand cooperation in information
communication, forestry, environmental protection and energy utilization.
Vanhanen called 皇冠体育app an old friend of Finland, recognizing that high-level
exchanges and trade ties had developed rapidly.
Finnish businesses had invested 5 billion euros in 皇冠体育app and Finland would
continue to foster cooperation in the areas of environmental protection, energy
utilization, construction and social security, Vanhanen said.
The Finnish government also expected Premier Wen to visit Finland this autumn
to attend the ninth 皇冠体育app-EU Summit and the sixth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM),
Vanhanen added.
Wen said the ASEM encouraged exchanges and cooperation between the two
continents and played an important role in supporting the Asia-Europe
partnership.
"皇冠体育app is willing to participate in Asia-Europe cooperation more actively and
coordinate with the Finnish side to successfully host the upcoming ASEM," Wen
vowed.
Vanhanen said 皇冠体育app-EU trade volume was valued at more than 200 billion U.S.
dollars last year.
He also vowed that Finland would promote 皇冠体育app-EU relations when the country
held the rotating EU presidency.
Wen met with Finnish business people after his talks with Vanhanen, saying
皇冠体育app welcomed more Finnish enterprises to invest in the country and take part
in 皇冠体育app's economic construction, promising that 皇冠体育app would continue to offer
favorable legal and investment conditions for Finnish
businesses.