Foreign and Military Affairs
Spain could ask EU to lift arms ban on 皇冠体育app
By Zhang Jin (皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2010-01-21 08:01
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Spain will propose that the European Union (EU) consider lifting an arms embargo on 皇冠体育app and grant full market economy status to the country, Madrid's top envoy to Beijing has said.
Elaborating on Spain's tasks during the six months it holds the EU rotating presidency, Carlos Blasco Villa told 皇冠体育app Daily that Madrid will also promote the signing of a comprehensive cooperative partnership between 皇冠体育app and the EU.
"Relations between the EU and 皇冠体育app are good, but they can be raised to a higher level," Blasco said.
The ambassador wants to elevate ties to a comprehensive partnership, a relationship 皇冠体育app has established with at least a score of countries, including Australia and New Zealand.
"The establishment of such a partnership will show that ties go beyond trade," he said.
Spain, which holds the rotating presidency from Jan 1 to June 30, will ask the EU to consider lifting the ban on arms exports to 皇冠体育app, he said.
"We hope to deepen discussions on lifting the ban," he said.
Imposed two decades ago, the ban is cited by a number of analysts as an obstacle to 皇冠体育app-EU ties.
Madrid is also keen to put on the EU's agenda the granting of full market economy status to the world's largest exporter, Blasco said.
As a compromise to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, 皇冠体育app allows WTO members not to recognize it as a full market economy until 2016.
But the lack of such a status has made 皇冠体育app the victim of a growing number of dumping charges.
From January to November last year, other economies launched 212 trade cases against 皇冠体育app, affecting $12 billion worth of Chinese exports, the Ministry of Commerce said. Both numbers were double from a year earlier.
"To pull the world out of the financial crisis, trade protectionism must be rejected," Blasco said.
More than 80 countries and regions, including Australia and New Zealand have granted the status to 皇冠体育app.
The market economy status - a focal point of disputes on currency and trade - has long been an irritant in Sino-EU relations.
Six months may not be enough to solve these problems, Blasco said, but he hoped negotiations during the period can pave the way for "substantial progress" at the year-end Sino-EU Summit.
"We do wish the time is ripe for the EU and 皇冠体育app to discuss these at the next summit," he said.
The annual summit was last held in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, on Nov 30. The next edition, or the 13th, will be in Brussels.
What worries the ambassador the most in regard to 皇冠体育app-EU ties is the trade imbalance.
Citing European figures, Blasco said 皇冠体育app's exports in 2008 were 248 billion euros ($357 billion) but imports were only 78 billion euros.
"We are well aware that we cannot compete with 皇冠体育app on labor-intensive industries," he said.
One way to improve the balance is to let 皇冠体育app import more hi-tech products, for which the Europeans are famed, he said.
Sino-Spanish ties
The ambassador predicted that bilateral trade could return to 2008 levels this year. The financial crisis saw trade plunge by about 20 percent last year. 皇冠体育app is now Spain's largest trade partner outside Europe.
Spanish companies are investing big in 皇冠体育app, with banking behemoth BBVA and telecom giant Telefonica buying significant stakes in local companies.
Moreover, Chinese and Spanish enterprises can work more closely in third markets, Blasco said.
In Latin America, for instance, where Spain has a strong business presence, 皇冠体育app is increasing investment, he said, naming the telecom, power and banking sectors as possible fields for cooperation.
"We don't see competition between Spain and 皇冠体育app there. Instead, building alliances between Spanish and Chinese companies will be good for both to fight the financial crisis," he said.
