Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-07-06-Speech-3-292"
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"en.20050706.27.3-292"2
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".
Mr President, in the 30 years since the European Union established diplomatic relations with China, both the European Union and China, and indeed the EU-China relationship, have seen quite remarkable change. The European Union-China relationship is now as close as it has ever been. But now, more than ever it is crucial that the European Union adapts to the challenge of China’s political and economic growth. European Union economies need to be able to respond to the competition and the opportunities offered by China and other emerging economies in Asia. The European Union has many interests at stake in China and East Asia more widely, clearly a highly important region in the 21st century. It is vital that the European Union and China both work together, with other international partners, to tackle global problems.
The European Union’s position has always been that the question of Taiwan should be resolved peacefully through constructive dialogue and it has urged both sides to avoid unilateral measures which might heighten tensions. In a statement at the beginning of this year, the European Union welcomed the agreement to cross-Strait charter flights over the Lunar New Year. It considered that this type of practical cooperation would help to promote dialogue and understanding between the parties and hoped that ways could be found to build upon it. We note the dialogue between the Mainland and visiting opposition Taiwanese leaders and hope that the Mainland will soon be able to commence similar dialogue with the elected leadership in Taiwan.
On regional matters, China and the European Union share a common interest with others in a stable Korean peninsula. Given its influence with the DPRK, China has a key role in efforts to achieve a nuclear-weapons-free peninsula, a role which the European Union supports.
The European Union remains keen to contribute to peace and security in the Asia and Asia-Pacific region. It is one of our key objectives. Speaking for the United Kingdom for a moment, we are keen to use the United Kingdom’s Presidency of the European Union to take forward work in this area. The European Union should aim to engage more actively in the political management of the regional security challenges. Among current concerns, the European Union has called for early and unconditional resumption of the six-party talks and for the complete verifiable and irreversible dismantling of any DPRK nuclear weapons programme.
We need to look further at ways to strengthen the European Union’s contribution in regional fora such as ASEM and as a member of the ASEAN regional forum, the only Asia-wide multilateral forum on regional security. It also makes sense for the European Union to develop strategic dialogues with other key players in the East Asian region. The security of the region is not just a concern to those there, but to all of us.
Since China’s reform of the economy which began in 1978, its economy has grown by almost 10% a year on average. In that time, Chinese-European trade has grown more than fortyfold. The EU is now China’s most important trading partner, and China is the EU’s second most important trading partner, after the United States.
In 2003, China became the world’s fourth largest trader, and its foreign trade continues to grow by 37%, a growth rate unrivalled by any major trading nation. China has also overtaken the US as the largest recipient of foreign direct investment anywhere in the world.
China has made considerable efforts to live up to its new role in the global economic system. To comply with its World Trade Organisation obligations and accession commitments, it has cut tariffs across the board and engaged in a thorough overhaul of laws and regulations. Nevertheless, concerns remain. The business environment in China is still a difficult one for the foreign businesses that operate there. For example, laws to protect intellectual property rights are not implemented vigorously enough. The WTO Ministerial in Hong Kong this year provides an opportunity for the European Union and China to work together once again to help achieve an ambitious and balanced outcome.
With this tremendous economic growth in China has come change in other areas too. It was not until the mid-1990s that the European Commission drew up its first Asia strategy and China policy papers. This first policy paper attempted to define a long-term strategy to address China’s swift economic and indeed political development. At the same time, engagements stopped being rather haphazard and regular annual summits became the norm. In 1996, the first Asia-Europe meeting was held and two years later the first EU-China Summit took place.
Against this backdrop of rapid change, the main legal framework for EU-China relations, the Bilateral Trade and Economic Co-Operation Agreement of 1985 is looking decidedly out of date. The European Union is looking forward to the introduction of a new framework agreement that is more in keeping with the multifaceted relationship we enjoy today. I hope that during the period of the United Kingdom’s Presidency of the European Union, progress can be made on this. We will also be looking for progress on a number of other issues, including climate change of course in this week when the G8 leaders gather in Gleneagles, and towards market economy status for China.
Energy security is an issue of concern to all countries. It is a requirement of economic growth and development. Current global levels of energy production and consumption are already considered as having a negative impact on the global climate, and greenhouse gas emissions are expected to rise over the coming decades. The European Union and China face an important dual challenge, ensuring energy security and combating climate change.
Discussion between the European Union and China is now rightly on a broad range of topics, including regional security, human rights, environment, education, migration, climate change and transportation. Just last week, the first EU-China Aviation Summit took place. All these discussions bring benefits to both parties. The European Union already has a lot of experience to share and often China is approaching problems in a new way and the European Union can learn from its fresh approach.
The European Union recognises its obligation to reduce its own emissions while at the same time assisting countries such as China to meet their growing energy needs in a sustainable manner. The European Union and China have significant and internationally respected scientific and technological expertise. There is therefore excellent scope for the European Union and China to significantly strengthen collaboration in this important field.
The European Union and China do, of course, have differences. The agreement reached at the conclusion of the recent EU-China textile negotiations shows what can happen when we sit down to discuss those differences amicably and seek win-win solutions. China has acted, as the Commissioner for Trade, Mr Mandelson, said and I quote ‘as a responsible and valued partner’.
The time available to me for these remarks to the Parliament today is too short to encapsulate relationships which have evolved over 30 years, but I hope that others will now be able to contribute their thoughts on this important evolving relationship.
The eighth European-China Summit in September in Bejing will be an opportunity to celebrate 30 years of official relations between the European Union and China and to look forward to the next 30 years. This will be an opportunity for the European Union and China to work together as global partners on global challenges. We look forward to this chance for the European Union and China to combine their efforts in order to address the challenges of climate change and energy security through dialogue and practical cooperation.
Of course there are differences between us, but it is a sign of the maturity of the relationship that we can discuss these constructively, for example, through the EU-China human rights dialogue.
Human rights are of course a fundamental part of European Union foreign policy. The European Union acknowledges that China has made considerable progress over the last decade in its social-economic development and welcomes steps towards the strengthening the rule of law and cooperation with UN human rights mechanisms. But much more is needed.
The European Union continues to have serious concerns about human rights in China, such as freedom of expression, freedom of religion and freedom of assembly. Journalists, lawyers, and members of NGOs continue to be harassed. The death penalty continues to be used extensively; there is widespread administrative detention and we have serious concerns about the use of torture. The situation in Tibet and Xinjiang remain a concern. The Council welcomes China’s work towards the ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and hopes that as this work continues there will be real improvements in the day-to-day lives of all China’s citizens.
Another issue which China and the European Union discuss frequently is that of Taiwan. The last 30 years have seen tremendous change in Taiwan too. Taiwan is one of the most successful Asian tigers, experiencing an enviable 5.9 % economic growth just last year. GDP per capita in real terms is considered to be on a par with Japan and Hong Kong. But change there has not just been economic, but also political. Thirty years ago Chiang Kai-Shek died and his son Chiang Ching-kuo continued in power thereafter. It was not until 1996 that Taiwan had its first democratic presidential election. Now Taiwan is a full democracy.
The European Union’s Member States have no diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Nevertheless, its economic and commercial ties with Taiwan are strong. Taiwan is of course a member of the World Trade Organisation. Taiwan and the European Union also enjoy solid relations in other non-political areas, such as science, education, culture and various technical fields.
However, other aspects of the cross- Strait relationship are not so positive and this has consequences for regional security. In March this year China introduced its ‘anti-secession’ legislation with the intention, it said, of halting or deterring Taiwanese moves towards independence. It was largely a codification of existing Chinese policy but it made reference to China’s strong commitment to peaceful reunification and more disturbingly made reference to the use of non-peaceful means should circumstances warrant. The description of what those circumstances might be was rather vague. The European Union reacted by reaffirming its adherence to its one-China policy and its opposition to any use of force to resolve this issue."@en1
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