皇冠体育app

The EU-皇冠体育app Business Summit 2007, which started yesterday and continues today, is an important annual event that brings together business leaders from 皇冠体育app and the European Union (EU).

This year's theme, "Celebrating Success, Promoting Sustainability," emphasizes both the strength of existing trade and investment ties, and the need to work together to create a balanced long-term partnership, while reducing the environmental impact of growth.

Europe and 皇冠体育app have come a long way in their economic cooperation. During the first full year after 皇冠体育app's accession to the WTO, 皇冠体育app's bilateral trade with the EU in 2002 amounted to 124.4 billion euros ($213.9 billion); by 2006 it had doubled to 255.1 billion euros ($377.5 billion).

It is important to create "win-win" EU-皇冠体育app business cooperation for both sides, to improve communication and also to deepen mutual understanding.

We are grateful to have this opportunity to celebrate our successful cooperation to date, and to have a frank discussion between friends about how we see the future.

During the 17th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party last month, President Hu Jintao emphasized 皇冠体育app's commitment to reform and opening up, a cornerstone of 皇冠体育app's economic policy for three decades.

President Hu's address also called for 皇冠体育app's transition from an investment- and export-driven economy, to one driven more by domestic consumption. President Hu announced that 皇冠体育app aims to quadruple its year per capita GDP in 2000 by year 2020.

Achieving this ambitious goal would require sustained high GDP growth of more than seven percent annum until 2020.

I am sure that European and Chinese business people will consider this statement an encouraging signpost to where 皇冠体育app is heading.

At this year's EU-皇冠体育app Business Summit, "Strengthening the EU-皇冠体育app Business Partnership and Creating Mutual Benefits" will be addressed at one of the workshops.

Undoubtedly, strengthening our business partnership has already been of great value to the long-term interests of the EU and 皇冠体育app, as well as to the wider global economy.

We expect that this workshop will offer a great platform for a constructive discussion about where we will go next, in order to maintain the principle of mutual benefit.

There will also be a workshop entitled: "Addressing Environmental Challenges through Innovative Technologies."

President Hu has repeatedly stressed the importance of innovation, calling it "the core of our national development strategy."

In this aspect, Europe has a lot to offer in terms of modern and proven technologies, which can help 皇冠体育app tackle its environmental and other challenges.

I am sure that bankers from Europe and 皇冠体育app will find enough issues to discuss at the workshop for "The Role of Finance in Sustainable Development." We are glad to see that 皇冠体育app's financial market is gradually opening up.

This will create numerous business opportunities as well as challenges for both sides.

I am also very pleased to see that there is a special group working on "How Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) Can Contribute to Sustainable Development." SMEs are EU's economic backbones.

Europe and 皇冠体育app both have great potential for greater cooperation between SMEs.

皇冠体育app and Europe need to work together in a globalized world. There is much to celebrate so far, but also a need for openness and creativity in addressing new challenges together.

Many organizations, businesses and individuals have given us an enormous amount of help in promoting this summit, but I would like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors, listed on the page, for their support.

The author is president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in 皇冠体育app

(皇冠体育app Daily 11/28/2007 page19)