BRUSSELS - A delegation of the Communist Party of China (CPC) met dozens of European political party representatives in Brussels, as the Second China-Europe High-Level Political Parties Forum kicked off on Nov 7. More than 120 participants attended the opening ceremony.

The three-day forum is co-hosted by five European political groups. “China’s 12th Five-Year Plan and Europe 2020 Strategy: New Opportunities and Prospects for China-Europe Cooperation" is a focus of the forum.

Liu Yunshan, member of the Political Bureau of CPC Central Committee and minister of the Publicity Department of CPC Central Committee, gave a keynote speech at the forum’s opening ceremony.

Liu Yunshan, member of the Political Bureau of CPC Central Committee and minister of the Publicity Department of CPC Central Committee, gives a keynote speech at the forum's opening ceremony on Nov 7. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Liu said during the G20 meeting that just finished a few days ago, President Hu Jintao expressed China's determination to work with the international community to battle the global economic crisis and achieve sustainable development. The forum's timing will explore new approaches to cooperation between China and Europe.

"The crisis we are having now has exposed major weaknesses in the current global financial and economic governance," Liu said. "We need to find solutions and establish a new system that combines both fairness and efficiency."

Representatives of the Communist Party of China (CPC) meet their European counterparts in Brussels for the Second China-Europe High-Level Political Parties Forum on Nov 7.  [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Leaders from five European Union parties -- Group of the People's Party (EPP), Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats (S&D) and European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) in the European Parliament, as well as the European Liberal Democrat and Reform party (ELDR) and European Green Party (EGP) -- also made remarks at the ceremony, all of them making a special emphasis on Europe's current economic crisis.

"The crisis we are living with now is a crisis of trust," said Philippe Lamberts, chairman of the EGP. "Before finding solutions, it is crucial for different people and countries to first of all realize their common values as well as the fact that they are interdependent."

More than 120 participants attended the opening ceremony on Nov 7.  [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

With participants' expectations to deepen discussion between China and Europe, the forum will have three panels: Europe-China Cooperation, Sharing Experience and Global Governance. The inter-party exchange will be followed by a half-day forum between young people of China and Europe on Nov 9, according to the CPC's International Department.