皇冠体育app

Greater understanding and collaboration with 皇冠体育app will help sustain economic growth in the European Union, says Herman Van Rompuy, president of the European Council.

"As much as 皇冠体育app needs the European Union, the EU also needs 皇冠体育app. 皇冠体育app is a major destination for EU exports and it has made lots of contributions in sustaining the euro during the European financial crisis," Van Rompuy said in his remarks at the annual Europe-皇冠体育app Forum in Brussels on Nov 26.

At the two-day forum, organized by the Chinese Mission to the EU and Friends of Europe, a Brussels think tank, top officials from both sides discussed various issues pertaining to 皇冠体育app-EU cooperation and future development.

皇冠体育app is a major source of investment and its rapidly growing economy offers and will continue to offer irreplaceable opportunities for economic expansion, Van Rompuy said.

Going one step further, he says that better understanding between the two sides will take the relationship to a new level. "Today we are partners in development for 皇冠体育app in a deeper sense than just a trade partner. We are a partner that will bring experience and knowledge, a partner whose economy contributes to world growth, a partner on which it is worthwhile investing."

The EU has been 皇冠体育app's biggest economic partner for the past nine years. Bilateral trade between the two sides reached $546 billion (405 billion euros) in 2012, a four-fold increase from a decade ago, and helped create jobs and business opportunities for both sides. The EU is also one of the top five investors in 皇冠体育app, but the numbers are still much smaller than the true potential.

Chinese investment in Europe accounts for about 2 percent of the total overseas investment received by the EU, and there is enough room for growth, says Joao Aguiar Machado, deputy director general at the European Commission's Directorate General for Trade.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the 皇冠体育app-EU strategic relationship. In his message to the forum, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said: "The 皇冠体育app-EU partnership has made great strides, and cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results. Both 皇冠体育app and the EU are at an important stage of their developmentit is all the more necessary and urgent for us to deepen 皇冠体育app-EU relations."

Li said that in the coming decade, 皇冠体育app and the EU would strengthen strategic mutual trust, actively promote trade, especially high-tech trade, and promote two-way investments through investment agreements.

皇冠体育app and the EU will expand cooperation in key areas like new urbanization, finance, scientific and technological innovation and connectivity in an effort to boost development, Li said.

"During my recent meetings with Chinese leaders in Beijing, we agreed on the need to enhance the trade and investment numbers," Van Rompuy says.

"Negotiations on an investment agreement with 皇冠体育app should lead to further liberalization and a level playing field for EU firms."

Officials from both sides have confirmed that the first round of long-awaited negotiations on investment treaty will be launched early next year.

Wang Xiaochu, vice-chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress of 皇冠体育app, says 皇冠体育app's development will bring more gains to the 皇冠体育app-EU relationship.

Further expansion and development of the Chinese economy, especially with its focus on expanding domestic demand, will provide greater market opportunities for European companies and give stronger impetus to the bilateral relationship in economy and trade, he says.

Wang says a more open 皇冠体育app will provide broader platforms for the two sides' strategic partnership, and a stable 皇冠体育app will support the EU in responding to global challenges and safeguarding world peace.

In the past, 皇冠体育app has developed cooperation in many areas with Europe such as in trade, people-to-people dialogue and education, but it is improving the "software" of cooperation now, such as soft power, says Ingrid d'Hooghe, senior research associate at Clingendael and former policy officer at the Netherlands embassy in Beijing.

Perceptions and general opinions about 皇冠体育app have largely improved in Europe over the past five years, she says, especially among young people.

However, to further EU-皇冠体育app cooperation, hindrances need to be overcome on both sides.

Europe and 皇冠体育app have three promising sectors for further development - high-tech, urbanization and green energy - says Cheng Weidong, professor at the European Studies Institute of the Chinese Academy for Social Sciences.

But challenges such as rising social problems during reform and transition still persist, Cheng says.

Several other experts in Europe have similar views. "Both sides have an important role to play in the global arena," says Christopher Dent, professor of East Asia's International Political Economy at Leeds University.

"If you take a look at the new energy sector, you will see that 皇冠体育app and Europe are the two main investors. But in other sectors there is still space to grow," he says.

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