China has pledged to ensure more effective macro control of its
textile sector and work with the European Union (EU) on a way to
resolve the trade issue.
"We will take further economic measures to prevent an over-rapid
growth of China's textile and garment exports," a Foreign Ministry
spokesman quoted Premier Wen Jiabao as saying in his meeting with
visiting representatives of the EU troika yesterday.
The measures are also aimed at restructuring China's textile
sector and ensuring its healthy and sustainable growth, Wen
said.
The premier stressed both sides should fully understand and
analyze the cause of the textile trade dispute.
"To ease the current dispute we need both sides to make
efforts," Wen said, adding the two should continue negotiations and
strengthen communication while keeping the China-EU comprehensive
strategic partnership in mind.
The representatives of the EU troika, Luxembourg Foreign
Minister Jean Asselborn, EU External Relations Commissioner Benita
Ferrero-Waldner and British Ambassador to China Christopher Hum,
arrived in Beijing yesterday and are expected to attend a series of
activities marking the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations
between China and the European Union today.
The two sides discussed topics covering the EU's 16-year-long
arms embargo on China, festering textile trade disputes and the
Taiwan question.
The Chinese premier stressed that China's self-imposed measures
on textile exports have born positive results, adding that all the
countries should work for fair and free trade.
EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson also acknowledged last
week that measures adopted by China this year had helped to slow
the growth of its textile exports to the EU.
"Wen has clearly indicated that China will strengthen macro
control over rapid increases in its exports of textiles and
clothing, which will probably become a guide for China's other
industries that may face the same challenge in international
trade," said Ruan Zongze, vice-president of the China Institute of
International Studies.
"In other words, China is increasingly taking a responsible role
in dealing with trade disputes with its partners."
Ruan added that Wen's remarks, which can be regarded as a
reaction to the EU's fear that China's textiles will flood its
market, also demonstrate the growing mutual trust between China and
the EU.
During yesterday's meeting with Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing,
the EU diplomats described China as a responsible player in
international affairs, saying that the EU and China share a similar
wish of building multilateralism.
Ferrero-Waldner told reporters after the meeting that she did
not want to see EU-China relations "overshadowed" by the arms
embargo issue.
Jean Asselborn, foreign minister of Luxembourg, holder of the
rotating EU presidency, said he hoped the two sides could find a
solution to the issue soon so they could focus on other areas of
bilateral relations.
The diplomats also expressed the EU's wish to expand
co-operation with China in the fields of trade, investment,
education, science and technology, environmental protection and
energy.
(China Daily May 12, 2005)
