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China, EU Agree to Enhance Political Dialogue
China and the European Union (EU) agreed to strengthen political dialogue and widen its scope during Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji's talks with EU leaders at their fourth summit meeting in Brussels Wednesday.
They agreed that China and the EU should conduct more in-depth consultations and exchange of views at all levels, with more regular meetings of senior officials and experts, on China-EU relations and on international and regional security issues, including non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament, said a joint statement issued after the summit.
The two sides agreed to continue their dialogue on human rights and reaffirmed their commitment to working towards meaningful and positive results. Both sides reaffirmed that the dialogue should continue on the basis of mutual respect and equality, and should help promote their compliance with international human rights standards and cooperation with U.N. bodies and mechanisms in this field.
EU leaders who attended the summit were Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, whose country holds the current EU presidency, EU 's High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana and European Commission President Romano Prodi.
Following the meeting, the Chinese premier and the three EU leaders held a joint press conference, agreeing that they had a fruitful summit. Verhofstadt told reporters that this was the first time that the EU-China summit issued a joint statement.
According to the statement, both leaders had an in-depth exchange of views on China-EU relations and international and regional issues of common interest. They expressed their resolve to expand and deepen China-EU cooperation in all areas on the basis of equality and mutual benefit and to promote the development of a comprehensive partnership between China and the EU.
The two sides underlined the significant developments in both China and the EU since the first China-EU summit held in London in 1998. They welcomed the new progress made in developing China-EU relations over the last three years. They considered a number of ways to enhance the relationship, including through greater exchanges, contact and cooperation between the peoples of China and the EU.
The two sides briefed each other on developments in China and the EU. The Chinese side welcomed the progress of the EU integration and enlargement process. The EU acknowledged and expressed support for the progress made so far in China's economic and social reform.
The EU side reaffirmed that it would continue to adhere to the one China principle and hoped for a peaceful resolution of the Taiwan question through constructive dialogue. The Chinese side appreciated the EU's commitment to the one China principle and reiterated its principled position on the settlement of the Taiwan question in accordance with the basic principle of "peaceful reunification and one country, two systems".
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