Zhu's Trip to Europe Successful: Foreign MinisterPremier Zhu Rongji's just-concluded six-nation European tour has helped consolidate China's political and economic relations with the six countries and the European Union (EU), Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan said Thursday."The visit is China's important diplomatic move to Europe at the turn of the century," Tang said. Zhu returned to Beijing yesterday after visiting Bulgaria, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Italy and Belgium, and EU headquarters in Brussels. Zhu's visit focused on investment and trade. It came just a few weeks after China inked a deal with the EU on China's accession to the World Trade Organization. Tang said Zhu's visit was a success, and will help push China's relations with the six countries and EU to a new high. Zhu met leaders of the six countries and the EU, and had extensive contacts with people from all walks of life, especially business leaders in the nations he visited. Thirteen agreements involving fields such as business, culture and law were signed during the trip. Officials of the six countries promised to continue to adhere to the one-China policy and not establish any official relations with Taiwan. Encouraged by Zhu's speeches, entrepreneurs in the six countries expressed their interest in entering the Chinese market and joining the central government's ambitious programme to develop western China. "The visit helped deepen China's relations and understanding with Europe," Tang said. |
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