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China, EU focus on governance and technology

By Fu Jing (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-10-28 10:46

BRUSSELS - Beijing and Brussels are expected to focus their recent cooperation on building "sustainable and inclusive" global governance while promoting technology transfers to accelerate China's industrial upgrading, according to a senior European Parliament official.

Adrian Severin, a member of the delegation for relations with China in the European Parliament also said that the European Union (EU) is still working on the long-awaited draft strategy with China, which is designed to be a "one voice" guideline when Brussels deals with Beijing.

"To be precise, we need to involve China to work on new global economic governance and also promote technology transfers," said Severin at a China-EU conference on Tuesday night.

It is very likely that the two points will be written into the EU strategy with China, though there is no timetable when the long-awaited document will be debated and then made public. In October, the topic was put on the agenda of the European Council conference, but it was sidelined by other proposals.

The two EU priorities may have resulted from rounds of high-level talks between China and the EU - especially after the annual EU-China summit in October. The EU has recognized China's rising economic clout, which the two sides hope to reflect in the new global economic governance.

The major players in the world will discuss this in the upcoming G20 summit in Seoul.

Meanwhile, China's plan to transform its industrial development pattern in the coming years has offered transfer opportunity for EU, which is a supplier of high-tech and green technologies.

However, the European Commissioner for Trade Karel De Gucht urged China to upgrade its legal framework first before the EU takes quicker steps to transfer technologies.

"This not an ideal climate for a smooth transfer of innovation (technology) although the European Union is much more positive (about China) than other players," said Gucht.

The EU has long complained about China's protection of intellectual property rights, though Beijing has taken many measures during past decades.

Gucht says he understands China's industrial policy to upgrade its economy, as so far China's strength lies mainly on manufacturing and marketing. But still, he said, the EU needs an updated quality of the legal framework there "which is certainly ideal at this moment in China".

On Tuesday, Severin said the European Parliament would take more "concrete and practical" steps toward China as the Lisbon Treaty - which went into effect on Dec 1, 2009 - has made it more powerful.

"In the past, the parliament was the weakest institution - but with strong statements, sometimes, with unrealistic statements, almost everything," said Severin.

"But those topics couldn't make any difference," he added. "Now, we just focus on those topics that could make difference."

Severin said the parliament will keep closer monitoring on China's human rights progress, which Beijing insisted is interfering in its domestic affairs.

However, some Chinese scholars say the EU should focus its energy on tackling its growing poverty due to the global financial crisis and economic recession while taking proper measures to protect the rights of its minority migrants.

Wang Yide, a businessman from Shanxi province witnessed France paralyzed by long-running worker strikes and protests, causing riots, cancellations of flights, trains and buses during his visit a week ago.

"It is right the law has granted the freedom of strike on the streets; however, many others suffer," said Wang, whose business meetings with its European partners have since been cancelled.

He suggested that, in a more interdependent world, the EU should face up to its own problems. "What I mean is that the EU and China should not be teaching each other - they should be equal learners in the first place," said Wang.

China Daily