Chinese and European Union negotiators are working intensively towards a
new strategic partnership pact ahead of next month's China-EU summit, senior
diplomats said.
Sources close to the negotiations said the EU's stance on China's market
economy status and lifting the arms embargo are likely to emerge as major points
in the pact, but refused to go into details.
In addition to further strengthening economic and trade ties, Chinese
diplomats said the two sides had planned to expand cooperation in the fight
against climate change, terrorism, energy shortages and other pressing
challenges brought by globalization.
"All the negotiations and preparations are well under way and we hope the
coming summit can solidify the foundation of the Sino-EU strategic partnership,"
Zhang Qiyue, Chinese ambassador to Belgium told China Daily.
Guan Yuancheng, Chinese ambassador to the EU delegation confirmed China's
stance at a plenary session of the four-day China-Europe Forum, which closed
yesterday.
"We are looking forward to a new and solid legal foundation to boost the
strategic partnership between the two sides," Guan said.
More than 1,000 Chinese and European participants attended the forum. EU
officials said they were strongly committed to maturing the EU's comprehensive
strategic partnership with China.
Dirk Sterckx, chairman of the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations
with China, said: "Trade and economic cooperation should not be the only
factors" of the China-EU new partnership.
Zhang Qiyue said China is still being attacked by deep-rooted prejudice and
misunderstanding that it is "a threat, with no human rights and no democracy."
She blamed deliberate smear campaigns by some foreign politicians that
attempt to discredit China's peaceful role in the world to protect certain
global interests.
"We need to sit down and listen to the voices from all walks of life to see
what the real situation in China is," Zhang said.
Jacques Delors, the former president of European Commission and honorary
president of the forum said Chinese participants had expressed very "frank
views" on every topic discussed since last Thursday.