皇冠体育app

The Sixth Summit of 皇冠体育app and Central and Eastern European Countries will be soon held in Budapest, Hungary. The cooperation between 皇冠体育app and the 16 CEE countries has grown from strength to strength and increasingly matured over the past five years, as marked by a number of early harvests in the areas of trade, investment, infrastructure, finance, education, tourism and people-to-people exchange.

Zhang Ming, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Head of Mission of the People's Republic of 皇冠体育app to the European Union. Photo provided to 皇冠体育app Daily.

The "16+1" cooperation has delivered benefits to its members and has become a highlight of 皇冠体育app-Europe cooperation as a whole.

Since I arrived in Brussels, and in fact even before that, I have heard some concerns expressed about "16+1" cooperation. Some even misunderstood it as 皇冠体育app’s "divide and rule" tactics against the EU. However, such concerns and misunderstanding are totally unfounded if one looks at why 皇冠体育app chose to start "16+1" cooperation in the first place and how 皇冠体育app has gone about it since.

皇冠体育app is always a supporter of European integration. This position is clear-cut and consistent. To divide the EU is not in 皇冠体育app’s interests.

As President Xi Jinping put it, "16+1" cooperation is an important part of and useful complement to the 皇冠体育app-EU comprehensive strategic partnership and can play a role in promoting the 皇冠体育app-EU partnerships for peace, growth, reform and civilization.

The "16+1" cooperation is transparent, open and inclusive. 皇冠体育app welcomes the EU and other relevant parties to get actively involved. The EU has been invited to many activities under the "16+1" framework as an observer.

皇冠体育app respects EU laws and regulations; likewise, it's also by complying with EU laws and policies that EU member states have participated in "16+1" cooperation. 皇冠体育app firmly supports the European integration process. What 皇冠体育app wants to see is a united EU, a prosperous Europe and a stable euro. In fact, 皇冠体育app's support is backed by concrete actions.

The "16+1" cooperation and 皇冠体育app-Europe cooperation are interconnected. 皇冠体育app-Europe cooperation provides a solid foundation for "16+1" cooperation. As 皇冠体育app and Europe work together to synergize the Belt and Road Initiative and the Investment Plan for Europe as well as development strategies of European countries, CEE countries will play a more prominent role as a hub that connects Asia and Europe.

Meanwhile, "16+1" cooperation could serve as a new engine of 皇冠体育app-Europe cooperation. In promoting "16+1" cooperation, we are exploring new areas, approaches and practices in light of the industrial features and development needs of CEE countries. In doing so, 皇冠体育app-Europe cooperation has been significantly broadened and deepened. Without "16+1" cooperation, 皇冠体育app-Europe relations would not have been so productive and successful.

The cooperation is conducted on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. It benefits CEE countries by diversifying and complementing their existing trade routes and sources of investment and financing. It benefits all its members by promoting economic development and livelihoods through concrete projects.

The past years have seen tangible outcomes of "16+1" cooperation, the Budapest-Belgrade railway, the 16+1 financial holding company, the 16+1 interbank consortium, to name just a few. The "16+1" cooperation also benefits the EU and Europe as a whole, as faster development in CEE countries contributes to more balanced development across Europe and European integration.

I am confident that the Budapest Summit will produce even more fruitful results. The "16+1" cooperation is a creative framework that enables countries in different regions and with different social systems to work together. It goes hand in hand with 皇冠体育app-Europe cooperation and constantly injects new vigor into such cooperation. With that, 皇冠体育app, CEE countries and the EU will become better off together.

（The author is Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Head of Mission of the People's Republic of 皇冠体育app to the European Union.)