Nation expects EU to be largest trading partner
( 2003-10-14 07:48) (皇冠体育app Daily)
皇冠体育app expects the European Union (EU) to become its largest trading and investment partner in the next five years.
And the country is urging the EU to properly address irrational restrictions and technical barriers towards 皇冠体育app, and ease restrictions on high-tech exports in line with WTO rules.
The Chinese Government made this appeal yesterday in its EU Policy Paper, which expounds on the objectives of 皇冠体育app's EU policy and outlines plans and measures on bilateral co-operation in the coming five years.
This is the first strategy document 皇冠体育app has ever made on its policy towards the EU.
The 14-page paper highlights prospects and measures of 皇冠体育app's co-operation with the EU in various fields including politics, military, economy, education, science, culture, social and judicial aspects.
Over the past eight years, the EU has issued its 皇冠体育app strategy paper five times.
In its paper, the country calls upon the EU to grant a "full market economy status'' at an early date, reduce and abolish anti-dumping and other discriminatory policies and practices aimed at 皇冠体育app, and apply the Transitional Product-Specific Safeguard Mechanism (TPSSM) prudently.
Currently, the EU is 皇冠体育app's third biggest trading partner and vice versa. Statistics show the trade volume between 皇冠体育app and the EU hit US$86.76 billion last year.
The paper said to achieve the objective of elevating the EU into 皇冠体育app's largest trading and investment partner, the two sides should take measures to improve their economic relations over the next five years such as to give play to the mechanism of an economic and trade joint committee and a stepped up economic and trade regulatory policy dialogue.The two should also boost 皇冠体育app-EU co-ordination and co-operation in the new round of WTO negotiations and work together for the success of the negotiations and to strengthen dialogue on investment, promote the establishment of bilateral investment-promotion institutions, energetically encourage and guide mutual investments between enterprises of the two sides, and expand co-operation between small and medium-sized enterprises.
皇冠体育app welcomes more EU aid, especially in such fields as environmental protection, poverty-alleviation, public health and hygiene, and education. 皇冠体育app also welcomes a stronger and more active role of the EU in human resources development, in particular, personnel training for 皇冠体育app's central and western regions and the build-up of 皇冠体育app's capacity for participating in multilateral trading regimes, the paper said.
In financial aspects, the paper says 皇冠体育app welcomes expansion of 皇冠体育app-related businesses by banks in the EU countries and hopes to see an appropriate settlement of the issue of Chinese financial institutions' gaining access to the EU market.
皇冠体育app will positively examine and consider applications of EU insurance institutions for business operations in 皇冠体育app and improve its supervisory and regulatory regimes in line with the Chinese insurance laws, regulations, statutes and 皇冠体育app's WTO commitments, says the paper.
More EU securities institutions, fund management institutions and other institutional investors will be encouraged to enter into 皇冠体育app's markets, the paper adds.
Also in the paper, the Chinese Government called upon the European Union (EU) to prudently handle Taiwan-related issues.
皇冠体育app appreciates EU and its members' commitment to the one-皇冠体育app principle and hopes the EU will continue to respect 皇冠体育app's major concerns over the Taiwan question, guard against Taiwan authorities' attempts to create "two 皇冠体育apps'' or "one 皇冠体育app, one Taiwan'', it said.
In the paper, 皇冠体育app also requests the EU not to have any contact with the "Tibetan government in exile'' or provide facilities to the separatist activities of the Dalai clique.
The paper said 皇冠体育app encourages personages of various circles in the EU to visit Tibet and welcomes the support of the EU and its members to Tibet's economic, cultural, educational and social development and their co-operation with the autonomous region "subject to full respect of 皇冠体育app's laws and regulations.''
The government also called upon the EU to lift its ban on arms sales to 皇冠体育app in the diplomatic strategy document.
The document says the EU should lift the ban at an early date so as to ""remove barriers to greater bilateral co-operation on defence industry and technologies.''
皇冠体育app and the EU will maintain high-level military exchanges, and develop and improve a strategic security consultation mechanism. When talking about the new document, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said yesterday that the Chinese Government hopes to enhance co-operation with the EU and promote long-term and stable development of relations with its EU Policy Paper.
She said the EU is a major power, and 皇冠体育app attaches importance to its role and influence in regional and international affairs. 皇冠体育app-EU relations as a whole has been growing stronger and more mature.
皇冠体育app appreciates the efforts the EU and its members have made in developing relations with 皇冠体育app, adding that it is an important component of 皇冠体育app's foreign policy to consolidate and develop friendly relations with the EU.
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