Brighter China-EU relations

Xi's visit will enhance mutual understanding and respect and promote settling disputes and expanding common ground in global issues

President Xi Jinping begins his visit to four European Union countries on Saturday, a major diplomatic action by China's new leadership to promote relations with its strategic partner.

The EU has the world's highest concentration of developed countries, with higher economic and social development levels, huge markets, abundant capital and advanced technology. The continuous development of China's economy is increasingly dependent on the EU's markets, products, technology and investment. There is no doubt that the EU has been and will continue to be an important partner of China and strengthening their friendly cooperation will definitely produce more practical win-win results for both sides.

Two centenary goals were set at the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China: building an all-round well-off society by 2020, before the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Party, and building a developed nation by 2050, around the 100th anniversary of the founding of New China. Realizing these two centenary goals needs not only the hard work of the Chinese people, but also the support and cooperation of the outside world.

At present, China is stepping up efforts to implement its 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-15) for national economic and social development and the EU is carrying out its "Europe 2020" strategy. And there are many similarities between China's plan and the EU's strategy. For example, China is speeding up the transformation of its economic development pattern and striving to build a resource-conserving and environmentally friendly society; while the EU wants to promote "intelligent" growth and develop a low carbon economy through improving energy efficiency and other means. This shows that the two sides can draw on each other's strengths and bring out the best in each other in the pursuit of their own development goals.

In the field of international politics, especially within the framework of the United Nations and the G20, cooperation between China and the EU is also indispensable. In fact, China-EU cooperation has made considerable achievements.