Luxembourg's PM says China playing more active role in international community

BRUSSELS - China is playing a more active and responsible role within the international community, Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel told Xinhua in a recent interview.

"We share common interests such as peace, stability, alleviating poverty, promoting economic development, but also fighting terrorism and all forms of extremism. Hence, I very much welcome China supporting the international community in its efforts," said Bettel.

Commending China's commitment towards international peace keeping and peace building, including providing humanitarian aid, the prime minister spoke highly of China's recent move to send a delegation of doctors to countries hit by the Ebola virus.

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"China also played a decisive role in the program for the destruction of chemical weapons in Syria," said Bettel.

He said while China has its own interests and priorities, it puts special emphasis on its principle of non-interference in others' domestic affairs.

"We certainly can improve our cooperation on regional issues and determine a common line of action when international stability is at stake," said Bettel.

He called for common efforts to prevent climate change and protecting the environment, saying only a global, coordinated and comprehensive cooperation can tackle the challenges.

Bettel previously served as mayor of Luxembourg City from 2011 to 2013 and worked a television talk-show host.

Though he has never been to China, Bettel said he plans on "visiting China as soon as possible to see for myself and to deepen the profound friendship generations of citizens and politicians from our countries have been building."

"China should of course promote its millennia-old culture. Since China has become economically more prominent in the daily lives of Europeans, Chinese culture has gained much new interest too," he said, expressing his hope that Luxembourg and China will be able to build stronger ties through people-to-people exchanges.

Five major Chinese banks have chosen Luxembourg as their hub in Europe, and the Luxembourg branch of China's largest lender, ICBC, had been appointed as a clearing bank for renminbi business in the European country.

"Our dynamic Chinese banking sector attracts many educated Chinese, who plan to stay for several years. Through this process of integration, they help to build our multicultural and multilingual society," Bettel said.

Luxembourg boasts Europe's largest renminbi deposit with 79.4 billion yuan ($12.9 billion) by the end of the first quarter of 2014 and maintains the lead in yuan-denominated loans, funds and bonds.

Media reports said Bettel will attend the sixth meeting of the Hamburg Summit, slated for Oct. 10 and 11, to which China will send its largest-ever delegation since the platform was set up in 2004.