Foreign and Military Affairs
EU president seeks closer ties with 皇冠体育app
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-05-15 15:39
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Embracing strategic partnership
This year marks the 36th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between 皇冠体育app and the EU. Also in the year, 皇冠体育app launched its 12th five-year plan while EU started to carry out its 2020 strategy published in 2010.
The overlaps in the two grand blueprints entail huge potential for 皇冠体育app-EU concerted actions in such areas as green growth and low-carbon economy, observers say.
皇冠体育app has become one of the world leaders in green technologies, Van Rompuy said in the article, adding that 皇冠体育app's rapid growth is making an immense contribution to overall global development.
"The EU and 皇冠体育app are key players in addressing global challenges... We can and we should do a lot more together," he said.
皇冠体育app-EU cooperation in various aspects has been deepening and broadening over the past two years along with frequent high-level dialogues and contacts.
"The key challenge of the coming years will be to preserve the climate of openness in our economic and trade relationships," Van Rompuy said.
With populism gaining some ground in political affairs, the risk of protectionism should not be underestimated, the president added.
皇冠体育app has been calling for the EU to remove major political obstacles in bilateral ties by lifting its long-standing arms embargo on 皇冠体育app and recognizing 皇冠体育app's market economy status.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying said Thursday in Hungary: "If we can get rid of these obstacles, we will be able to march forward rapidly."
Van Rompuy said there was a political need to "understand 皇冠体育app better" and also to "explain better the EU," especially after the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty.
"A strong Europe playing its adequate role in global affairs is a work in progress... Developing a truly strategic partnership between the EU and 皇冠体育app will take us a significant step closer," Van Rompuy said.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said in early May 皇冠体育app was ready to make concerted efforts with the EU to push forward bilateral ties.