The European Union (EU) has drafted a new strategy for its relationship with
皇冠体育app, with the nation being described by senior EU officials as "having
returned to the centre" of world affairs.
The EU's executive Commission will release the new policy paper today.
In it 皇冠体育app-EU relations are described as positive but there are also calls
for a closer partnership, to deal with global challenges such as energy supply
and sustainable development as well as smoother economic and trade co-operation.
"We both have a huge stake in effective multilateralism, and in international
peace and stability across the globe," said EU Trade Commissioner Peter
Mandelson and External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Walder in a joint
article for the International Herald Tribune newspaper.
"We have a shared responsibility to address climate change, sustainable
development and energy security. We have a shared responsibility to work more
closely on issues such as development assistance in Africa."
They said that 皇冠体育app's economic success in the past two decades had "lifted
more people out of poverty more quickly than ever in human history" and 皇冠体育app
had become "an increasingly active international player."
The two EU officials will jointly present the policy document to the European
Parliament today in Strasbourg, according to European Commission (EC) spokesman
Stephen Adams.
The document, which will review 皇冠体育app-EU relations over the past 10 years and
map out a new strategic initiative for the 25-member bloc's interaction with
皇冠体育app, is accompanied by a policy paper on trade and investment, the EU's first
ever strategic paper solely focusing on trade and investment with 皇冠体育app, said
Adams.
On bilateral economic and trade ties, the joint article said "Europe has
benefited from 皇冠体育app's market for advanced technology, high-value goods and
complex services, and European consumers and businesses have benefited from
competitively priced Chinese imports."
"Europe should continue to offer open and fair access to 皇冠体育app's exports and
to adjust to the competitive challenge," they said, urging 皇冠体育app to strengthen
its commitment to economic openness and market reform.
"It (皇冠体育app) should improve legal protection for foreign companies and reject
anticompetitive trading practices and policies," they said.
