An ambitious plan for cooperation in regional policy between
China and the 25-member European Union (EU) was agreed on Tuesday
between senior officials.??
EU Regional Policy Commissioner, Danuta Hubner, met in Brussels
with Vice-Minister Du Ying from the National Development and Reform
Commission (NDRC) of China. The objective was to progress the
EU-China regional policy dialogue launched last May in Beijing.
A press release issued by the European Commission (EC) said both
parties agreed on strengthening bilateral cooperation and on the
exchange of information on policies contributing to growth,
competitiveness and employment.
According to EC spokeswoman, Ana-Paula Laissy, three main
actions were agreed upon for further cooperation in 2007--a high
level seminar in Brussels to bring together relevant Chinese and EU
stakeholders in regional policy fields; a comprehensive study on
the definition of Chinese regions, regional statistics and
multi-level governance and the establishment of partnership
mechanisms and the promotion of exchanges between officials.
"Today we agreed on concrete ways for further cooperation in two
fields crucial for both sides-- multi-level governance and
partnership and definition of regions and regional statistics,"
said Commissioner Hubner after the meeting.
"The dialogue will help both parties in our common challenge of
promoting balanced regional economic development," she added. The
Commissioner said a high level seminar would be held in Brussels in
mid 2007.
Minister Du explained after the meeting that both sides agreed
to take concrete actions to implement the joint statement issued by
Chinese and EU leaders on regional policy cooperation. The move
would further deepen the mechanism construction on bilateral
cooperation, he added.
At the China-EU summit, in The Hague of the Netherlands in
December 2004, China and the EU launched the cooperation on
regional policy initiative. Both identified balanced development
and regional policy as key areas in which both should share
information and experience.
Accordingly, the Memorandum of Understanding signed last May in
Beijing between the (NDRC) and the EC aims to promote mutual
understanding and bilateral cooperation in the field of regional
policy and to strengthen information exchange.?
The NDRC has a key role in the Chinese policy-making system.
It's a macroeconomic management government department which
formulates policies for economic and social development, maintains
a balance of economic aggregates and guides the overall economic
system restructuring.
The NDRC develops national economic strategies, long-term
economic plans and annual proposals and reports on the national
economy and social development for the National People's
Congress.
(Xinhua News Agency November 1, 2006)