6 September 2005
Prime Minister Tony Blair visited Beijing as part of the EU Presidency programme. He made a statement after his initial talks with Chinese President Hu.
- Press conference with Premier Wen Jiabao and President Barroso
- PM reflects on China’s ‘unstoppable momentum’
- PM explores cultural and sporting links in China
- PM takes part in ‘important’ EU talks in China
- See our special EU Presidency section
Read the statement in full
Thank you very much Premier Wen, President Barroso, … Mr Wang, Minister, Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen. I am delighted to be able to say a few words on the occasion of this China-Europe Business Summit. I would like to thank President Hu for his very constructive meeting earlier today and we look forward immensely to the discussions we are going to have at the China/EU Summit with Premier Wen.
The facts of the trade between China and Europe today are very well known. We all understand the central importance of increasing those economic ties for the sake of the prosperity of our countries and our people. I would like to address very briefly three issues. The first is to recognise that as our trade increases there will as we have seen over the issue of textiles from time to time be disagreements. The important thing is to resolve those disagreements and then continue to increase the trade between China and Europe. And the reason why that is so important is that in the world that is developing around us today there is of course a place for managing change, what there is no case for doing is resisting change. And the changes that are happening around us and that are driving this growth in trade between China and Europe are changes that I see not as a threat but as an opportunity, an opportunity for our people, for our companies, for our businesses, for the jobs and prosperity of our citizens, both Chinese and European. What is important is that we ensure that this cooperation also extends to those things that are going to create the companies and the economic dynamism for the future.
Tomorrow I will have the chance to see the education system in China at first hand, and it is in the areas of science, and technology, and knowledge that the future for both our economies is going to be found. And of course because labour costs will be lower here, this imposes great competitive pressure on the European economy, but in the end as China develops and moves itself further up the value added change, so Europe can benefit from this opening of markets and mutual trade between our two regions. So I believe that this change that is happening, difficult though it may be, is absolutely essential to encourage for the future both of China and the European Union.
The second point to make is that it is important that we cooperate in trying to ensure that this trade is facilitated. What does that mean? It means developing proper protection of intellectual property, making sure there is a level playing field between China and the European Union, making sure that we have the right rules in place so that it is easy for trade to happen and for confidence to be there between businesses both in China and the European Union. This process of globalisation I see as only increasing, and whatever its problems we must strive to overcome any of those problems and the obstacles in the way of that globalisation occurring.
The third aspect is that we have to make sure that we then take this economic cooperation and match to it a political cooperation also. And one of the things that we will be discussing later today, and indeed we will be discussing in our bilateral summit tomorrow, is how we ensure that the political cooperation between China and European countries enhances the prospect of economic growth. The WTO round will be extremely important, we want it to succeed, it is in both our interests that it does so. We will be acknowledging today the importance of tackling common environmental issues such as climate change, which again if done in the right way promotes tremendous business opportunities both for China and for Europe. And of course it is hugely in the interests of the European Union and of China, indeed of the world community, that there is political stability both here, throughout the region and throughout the world.
In all these respects the cooperation between China and Europe is vital. So I don’t see us as having a series of programmes designed to further economic cooperation on the one hand, separate from political cooperation on the other, on the contrary, I see economic and political cooperation going together.
The extent of the representation here today from European business and from business in China demonstrates not just the vast increase in trade there has been between China and Europe over these past years, but the enormous potential for the future.
Mr Premier, I hope you take from the strength of the business community here from Europe today a very strong indication of our desire to work with you, to work with Chinese business and industry to the mutual cooperation of both of us. The benefits that can be derived from this cooperation are enormous, we have to explain them to our people, we have to show how as we increase trade we will increase growth, prosperity, jobs and security.
So it is with very great pleasure that I say these words in support of the China-EU Business Summit, to congratulate both those on the European and on the Chinese side for the work that they have done and to hope that today’s meeting, today’s discussion of future business opportunities will bring even greater prosperity and greater economic growth in the future both for China and for Europe.
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