Chinese Ambassador Zhang Ming (File photo)
Brussels (People's Daily) - Given the rising trend of unilateralism and protectionism, as well as international uncertainties, a stable China-EU relationship is of great value, said Chinese Ambassador Zhang Ming, head of the Chinese Mission to the European Union, at the European Parliament headquarters in Brussels on April 23.
European Parliament's Committee on International Trade (INTA) has prepared a draft opinion for the Committee on International Trade. It is part of a wider parliament report on EU-China relations, in which the trade committee has pointed out issues that hamper smooth economic relations between the two sides.
Zhang exchanged views with representatives from INTA, saying that issues raised by the members of the European Parliament (MEP) "take up a very small part of our overall cooperation" and that "to solve problems we must look ahead, not look back."
Zhang insisted that with $600 billion in trade of goods, over $100 billion in trade of services and a stock investment of nearly $200 billion, EU-China economic and trade relations are "by nature mutually beneficial."
"With open and smooth channels of communication, China and the EU could seek solutions through friendly consultations," the ambassador told MEP members. He added that if one retreats back into the tower of protectionism, he would certainly miss the lovely spring outside.
He also pointed out that China and the EU are both major members of the WTO, and "We need to stand up together with a clear-cut stance against unilateralism and protectionism, preserve the rules-based multilateral trading system, and sustain the sound momentum of the global economy.”
"We should really look to stabilize our relations," said the committee's chair, German Social Democrat MEP Bernd Lange, pointing to the global context where protectionism seems to be rising and the rules-based trading system faces threats.
"We welcome engagements," the opinion's rapporteur, Romanian center-right MEP Iuliu Winkler told the ambassador, adding that they were "very important" and "sounding very promising".
