Dialogue and consultation was the key to settling
trade disputes with the European Union (EU), Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said when he met Finnish Prime
Minister Matti Vanhanen in Beijing Tuesday.?
"China is willing to strengthen political exchanges
and cooperation to resolve issues of common concern, including
trade disputes, with the European Union based on the principles of
mutual respect, equality and benefit," Wen told visiting Finnish
Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen.
"I hope that Finland will continue to contribute to
China-EU relations when it holds the rotating EU presidency in the
latter half of this year," he said.
Finland was one of the first developed countries to
establish diplomatic relations and sign a bilateral trade agreement
with the People's Republic of China. It has shown foresight in
supporting China's resumption of its legal position on the United
Nations in the 1970s.
The two countries had expanded their contacts in
fields such as culture, education, science and technology, Wen
added.
He expressed his appreciation for Finland's view on
China's development and its positive policies toward s the country
with a win-win feature in the globalization process.
The Chinese government valued its links with
Finland and would maintain high-level exchanges and communication
with them, Wen said.
The two countries should actively implement their
agreement on economic, industrial and technological cooperation,
and expand cooperation in information communication, forestry,
environmental protection and energy utilization.
Vanhanen called China an old friend recognizing
that high-level exchanges and trade ties had developed rapidly.
Finnish businesses had invested 5 billion euros in
China and Finland would continue to foster cooperation in
environmental protection, energy utilization, construction and
social security, Vanhanen said.
The Finnish government expected Premier Wen to
visit Finland this autumn to attend the ninth China-EU Summit and
the sixth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), Vanhanen added.
Wen said ASEM encouraged exchanges and cooperation
between the two continents and played an important role in
supporting the Asia-Europe partnership.
"China is willing to participate in Asia-Europe
cooperation more actively and coordinate with Finland to
successfully host the upcoming ASEM," Wen vowed.
Vanhanen said China-EU trade volume was valued at
more than US$200 billion last year.
He also vowed that Finland would promote China-EU
relations when the country held the rotating EU presidency.
Wen met with Finnish business people after his
talks with Vanhanen. He said China welcomed more Finnish
enterprises to invest in the country and participate in China's
economic construction. He promised that China would continue to
offer favorable legal and investment conditions for Finnish
businesses.
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(Xinhua News Agency April 26, 2006)