For China and the EU, Cooperation Is Our Only Right Way Forward
中欧间唯有合作方为正途
Minister and Head of Economic and Commercial Office of the Chinese Mission to the EU Peng Gang Publishes a Signed Article
中国驻欧盟使团公使兼经商处负责人彭刚发表署名文章
20 July 2022
2022年7月20日
On July 19th, the 9th China-EU High-Level Economic and Trade Dialogue (HED), co-chaired by China’s Vice-Premier Liu He and Executive Vice-President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis, and participated by more than 20 ministerial-level officials, was successfully held. Through pragmatic, frank and efficient discussions, the two sides reached a series of consensus and deliverables on macro-economic policy coordination, cooperation on industrial and supply chains, WTO reform, further market opening-up, implementation of the China-EU Agreement on Geographical Indications, animal and plant inspection and quarantine, two-way opening-up of the financial sector and regulatory cooperation, among others.
7月19日，第九次中欧经贸高层对话以视频形式成功召开，中国国务院副总理刘鹤与欧委会执行副主席东布罗夫斯基斯共同主持，双方共20余位部长级官员出席会议。中欧双方围绕宏观经济、产业链供应链、贸易与投资、金融合作四个专题进行了务实、坦诚、高效的讨论，交流富有建设性。双方就宏观经济政策协调、产业链供应链合作、世贸组织改革、扩大市场开放、中欧地理标志协定实施、动植物检验检疫、金融业双向开放和监管合作等达成一系列成果和共识。
The Dialogue injected stability into China-EU cooperation. To further implement the important consensus reached by President Xi Jinping, President Michel and President von der Leyen at various occasions, especially at the 23rd China-EU Summit, the two sides stressed the importance of jointly combating global challenges and deepening supply chain cooperation. In a world of profound changes, we believe that healthy and stable China-EU relations, especially in the economic and trade realm, can help counter the uncertainty on the global economic stage, and are conducive to global development and prosperity. This is especially true as global economy suffers from multiple crises. The two sides should make good use of mechanisms such as macro-economic policy dialogue and financial dialogue, strengthen communication and coordination on macro-economic policies, deepen cooperation on global food and energy security, and jointly promote the stability of the world economic and financial market. In an effort to boost the post-pandemic recovery, China and the EU need to maintain the stability of global industrial and supply chains, strengthen the coordination and cooperation on COVID-19 pandemic control, and ensure the secure and smooth running of sea, air and land trade routes including China Railway Express.
会议为中欧合作注入稳定性。中欧双方表示愿共同落实好习近平主席与米歇尔主席、冯德莱恩主席视频会见和第23次中欧领导人会晤达成的重要共识，携手应对世界变局、克服全球挑战，强化供应链合作。我们认为，世界政经形势正发生深刻变化，健康稳定的中欧关系和中欧经贸关系有利于世界发展与繁荣，双方应推动中欧经贸领域务实合作，以中欧合作的稳定性应对世界经济形势的不确定性。我们认为，当前全球经济多重危机叠加共振，双方应发挥好中欧宏观经济政策对话、财金对话等机制的作用，通过机制性对话加强宏观经济政策沟通协调，深化全球粮食和能源安全领域合作，共同促进全球经济金融市场稳定。我们都同意维护全球产业链供应链稳定，加强疫情防控方面的协调与合作，增进产业链供应链领域沟通与交流，努力减少疫情对产业链供应链的影响，共同保障中欧班列、海运、空运等贸易通道安全畅通。
The Dialogue injected new impetus into China-EU cooperation. It has always been the common vision of China and the EU to safeguard the rules-based multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core. At the meeting, the pledge to uphold unimpeded multilateral trade and advance financial cooperation was once again enshrined by the two sides. In the next stage, the two sides will work together to implement the outcomes of MC12 and continue to discuss the WTO reform road-map and other important issues through dialogue mechanisms including China-EU Joint Working Group on WTO Reform. On more concrete issues, to create a more favorable business environment, both sides will actively promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, promote fair competition, and better protect intellectual property rights. The two sides will further promote two-way opening-up and regulatory cooperation in the financial sector and welcome qualified financial institutions to invest in each other’s markets. Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation on green finance and promote the use and the improvement of the Common Ground Taxonomy Table. Both sides welcomed the signature of the Memorandum of Understanding on Deepening Cooperation on Animal Health and Sanitary Matters, and the Memorandum of Understanding on Regulatory Cooperation on Shanghai Clearing House, and will deepen exchanges and cooperation in relevant fields. To better meet the needs of the two peoples, China and the EU also agreed to release the second batch of GI list as soon as possible and expand trade in agricultural products.
会议为中欧合作注入新动能。双方承诺将共同维护全球贸易畅通，推进金融合作。维护以世贸组织为核心、以规则为基础的多边贸易体制是中欧双方共同愿景。双方将共同推动世贸组织第12届部长级会议成果落到实处，并同意继续通过中欧世贸组织改革联合工作组等机制性对话，就世贸组织改革路线图及其他重要议题开展讨论。双方将积极推动贸易和投资自由化便利化，加大相互开放力度，促进公平竞争，保护知识产权，为企业创造更好的营商环境。双方还将进一步推进金融业双向开放和监管合作，欢迎符合条件的金融机构到对方市场投资展业。双方同意共同加强绿色金融合作，推动《共同分类目录》推广使用及完善。双方欢迎《中欧关于深化动物卫生和检疫事务合作的谅解备忘录》和《关于上海清算所监管合作的谅解备忘录》的签署，愿深化双方在相关领域的交流与合作。双方同意尽快公示第二批中欧地理标志清单，扩大农产品贸易规模，更好满足双方民众的需求。
Entering the third decade of the 21st century, the world is faced with mounting challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, food crisis and the risk of economic recession, to which no economy can stay immune. It’s quite astounding that some people should trumpet theories like “EU-China engagement is useless” and “EU-China economic and trade decoupling” in face of such dire situation. The good news is that, the successful convening of the 9th China-EU HED and its outcomes show that despite differences, China and the EU still have broad space for cooperation. As indispensable players in today’s world, the only right path forward for China and the EU is to focus on cooperation, manage differences, and jointly address global challenges.
进入21世纪第三个十年以来，全球正面临新冠疫情、气候变暖、粮食危机、经济衰退风险等考验，没有一个经济体可以独善其身。近段时间以来，部分人士鼓吹“中欧接触无用论”“中欧经贸脱钩论”。然而，第九次中欧经贸高层对话达成的共识与成果表明，中欧虽有分歧，但在共同应对危机面前仍有广阔合作空间。世界离不开欧盟，也离不开中国。中欧双方只有聚焦合作、管控分歧、应对挑战，方为正途。
Going forward, the two sides should translate the spirit of the Dialogue into practice, and promote the sustainable and healthy development of China-EU pragmatic cooperation on economy and trade. First, we should remain committed to cooperation, rise above external interference and remove obstacles affecting further development of bilateral relations. Second, we should strengthen communication and dialogue by making full use of existing mechanisms and creating new ones. Third, we should focus on implementation. The working teams from both sides should maintain close exchanges and communication on implementing the consensus reached by the leaders of both sides and the outcomes of the Dialogue, and come up with a practical and concrete working plan as soon as possible. The Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the European Union and I myself will maintain close contacts with relevant departments on the EU side and make unremitting efforts to this end.
下一步，中欧双方应认真落实好第九次中欧经贸高层对话各项共识和思路举措，推动中欧经贸务实合作持续健康发展。一要保持合作定力，排除外来因素干扰，扫清双边关系进一步发展的障碍。二要强化沟通交流，盘活现有机制性安排，为双方开展交流、共谋发展提供平台。三要突出贯彻落实，工作层应就双方领导人达成的共识和此次高层对话会议的成果思路保持密切交流与沟通，尽快拿出务实、具体、可实操的落实工作方案。中国驻欧盟使团和我本人将保持与欧方各部门的密切沟通与协调，共同为此做出不懈努力。